President Bush will address the nation Monday on the immigration issue as the Senate renews debate on immigration reform that could provide a path to citizenship for millions of people living in the United States illegally.
The announcement of Mr. Bush's Monday evening address came Friday as U.S. military officials said they have begun to explore options for using troops, such as the National Guard and equipment to help secure the border with Mexico.
Also Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met at the Pentagon with his Mexican counterpart, National Defense Secretary General Gerardo Ricardo Vega.
Last year, the House of Representatives passed a measure that would make illegal immigration a felony and calls for a fence along a large section of the U.S.-Mexico border. The House and Senate must reconcile differences between their versions of immigration legislation.
The debate over immigration in the U.S. has triggered large demonstrations across the country, including one in Los Angeles, California, earlier this year that drew some 500,000 people supporting immigrants' rights.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.