CNN -- LOU DOBBS TONIGHT -- Aired March 23, 2007 - 18:00 ET

DOBBS: An unmanned aircraft helped customs and border protection agents arrest a suspected child rapist.

The drone was flying along, one just like this, flying along the Arizona border with Mexico this week when its surveillance camera and the people operating it spotted six illegal aliens. And after arresting and fingerprinting those six illegals, border agents that realized one of those men, a Mexican citizen, was wanted on child rape charges in the state of Washington.

Federal officials say that unmanned aircraft has flown nearly 2,000 hours along our border, directly contributing to nearly 4,000 arrests of illegal aliens. Probably no prosecutions, but at least an arrest. A likely debate on the amnesty agenda in the nation's capital today. On the one side, prominent radio talk show hosts and immigration policy experts. On the other side, corporate America and business lobbyists. In fact, the biggest business lobbyists.

And as Lisa Sylvester now reports, the two sides are a little bit apart on the legislative proposal that would give amnesty to as many as 20 million illegal aliens.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Talk show radio hosts on the left and the right are talking up immigration. In Washington they tangled with each other and corporate representatives at a forum sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

MARTHA ZOLLER, WDUN IN GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA: Go ask any county commission across this country, where do they have the biggest stress on their services by illegal immigrants? It is the detention center, which is paid for by the county. It is the school and it is the hospital.

LIONEL, WABC IN NEW YORK: If I could snap my finger right now, hypothetically, and every undocumented illegal Mexican laborer just vanished right now, how much would an apple be? Or Applebee's? How much would gardening be?

SYLVESTER: The U.S. Chamber and other business groups make no bones about it. They want a steady, guaranteed flow of low-skilled foreign workers to enter freely into the United States for years to come. Claiming they did not get guest workers when Congress passed the 1986 amnesty.

LAURA REIFF, ESSENTIAL WORKER IMMIGRATION COALITION: What didn't happen was there was no program allow -- that would allow workers to come in at a reasonable rate. No program at all for what we call essential workers, the lesser skilled workers, workers that have less than a bachelor's degree.

SYLVESTER: Corporate groups want Congress to allow in 400,000 new workers. That's the number they've estimated is needed to offset the current number of illegal aliens coming into the United States.

But many others do not want to see a guest worker program. The AFL-CIO doesn't want it, and conservatives don't want it. Several talk show hosts say many in the public do not back a guest worker program either.

DOM GIORDANO, WPHT IN PHILADELPHIA: There's a reason why Lou Dobbs show is so hot. There's a reason why that show has taken off. And it's not fear. It's because the average American is bonding with that.

SYLVESTER: Americans increasingly believe illegal immigration has slipped out of control, even as employers push for more cheap labor. (END VIDEOTAPE)

SYLVESTER: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce argues that businesses need a guest worker program to replace an aging U.S. population and to, quote, "fill jobs Americans won't do."

But the reality, Lou, as you well know, is that there are several guest worker programs already in place. H2B program brings in 6,000 unskilled workers every year, the H2A program that brings in thousands of agricultural laborers annually, and the H1B program that employers use to hire professional skilled foreign workers -- Lou.

DOBBS: At typically a discount of about 20 percent to U.S. wage -- wages. You know, Lisa, by the way I'm kind of hurt. The Chamber of Commerce didn't invite me. Did they invite you?

SYLVESTER: I did not get an invitation either to the forum. I'm sorry to say that.

DOBBS: Yes, because let's look at a couple of facts here, if we may, that maybe the chamber forgot to mention.

We have 2 million people legally admitted to the United States each year. The fact is, 400,000 H1B visas and others are granted each year, specifically for that work.

Nine hundred thousand other employment visas are issued. And we have the L1 visas, students brought into this country, 600,000 students issued, as well.

Now, if some -- some idiot -- I mean, there's almost half a million temporary employment transfers. Folks, we're talking over 2 million people a year.

And no country, no three countries can come close to us on our immigration, legal immigration levels. And we should be very proud of that. I am.

But big business is lying through its teeth. This president is lying through his teeth, and Senator Kennedy is lying through his teeth, and Senator McCain is lying through his teeth on the issue of illegal immigration. They are pandering to big business. Big business is demanding something it doesn't need.

And you know, Lisa, one of the other things, did anybody there at that little forum, did anybody mention that the four areas in which illegal aliens are most typically employed, landscaping, leisure, hospitality and construction? Did anybody mention that wages in all four industries have declined?

SYLVESTER: They did not mention that, Lou they did have representatives from those industries, too. But that's a point that often is glossed over and people don't necessarily focus on.

DOBBS: They don't want to focus on the facts. They don't want to focus on the facts that this country is bringing in millions of people lawfully every year.

These are some of the most scurrilous, disgusting, deceitful people ever involved in a national public debate. I mean, I am just disgusted with the lack of both the absolute demand for honesty and accuracy in reporting and the numbers and the facts. Because the American people can always make a great decision, so long as the facts are put before them.

Lisa, thank you very much. I appreciate it. Lisa Sylvester from Washington.