DENVER -- Conservative members of the Colorado legislature are asking President George W. Bush to call a national emergency on illegal immigration. It comes after the collapse on an immigration deal in Cngress and immigration rallies across the country.

The lawmakers sent a letter to the president, in which they said they were shocked by the blatant, coordinated and anti-American demonstrations that were held this week. Others of course see the rallies much differently.

Members of Congress are still divided, still edgy with each other, including those from the same state.

"To those who are opponents of comprehensive immigration reform, I would say let's get real," Sen. Ken Salazar said Tuesday, asking his colleagues to come together to come up with a reasonable immigration policy.

"Isn't it amazing that a senator of the United States of America would tell the public that we will not enforce the law?" said Rep. Tom Tancredo.

Tancredo has become the leading advocate for a hard line on illegal immigration. He argues that border enforcement is the first priority and that any talk of amnesty for illegal immigrants is a non-starter.

"I do not know if the two versions can be meshed. They are so far apart," Tancredo said.

But Salazar remains committed to compromise. He met Tuesday with agricultural, business and religious leaders who all urged him to make a deal.

"We ought to build on the momentum we had in the last couple of months and try to bring this to a conclusion," Salazar said.

Tancredo is less optimistic that a deal can be worked out and said that if none of the leading Republican candidates for the White House take up the issue and run hard on immigration, he's willing to take that place and campaign for president just to bring this issue to the forefront. He said that he has alot of support in some of the early primary states.