THE much awaited Republican talking points on immigration reform were released last week and immediately drew a barrage of criticism from pro-immigration groups.

The document is a working summary of where key Republicans in the Senate and President Bush stand in the immigration debate.

Understandably the comprehensive reform advocates were not shy about bitterly criticizing the package, which calls for a very convoluted path to a green card as well as the payment of heavy fines along the way.

It is important to note, however, that the Republican paper does concede the first principle that undocumented residents here should be able to become legal. That in and of itself is a powerful step in the right direction. It is a first principle that has finally been established.

Remember, there are many on the Republican side who want no access to legality at all for the undocumented, and who would wish to see all of them deported and a border security bill only considered.

The Republicans are talking about a new “Z” visa which would allow an undocumented resident to work legally and travel. The visa would be renewable until a later time when the holder would be permitted to apply for a green card.

What undocumented person now here would not grasp such a visa if it were the only deal on offer? The inconvenient truth for many pro-immigration advocates is that issues such as a path to U.S. citizenship are not nearly as important to the average undocumented as seeing family and friends again abroad, and working without fear of being deported.

So let us praise that aspect of the Republican plan as an idea worth considering and possibly expanding on. Let us counterpoint it with the provisions in the House bill introduced recently by Congressmen Luis Gutierrez and Jeff Flake and see if there is middle ground somewhere between that and the Republicans and, indeed, the Senate version of the House bill which we can expect in mid April by all accounts.

Above all, let not the perfect be the enemy of the good. Yes, there are many harsh provisions in the Republican plan that ultimately should be removed. Does that mean, however, we reject every aspect of it? The answer should be no.

In the end, if and when a bill passes it will need the support of Republican moderates in the House and Senate and from President Bush in the White House. The mushy center is where most every piece of successful legislation on issues such as immigration reform end up in. Getting from here to there is the challenge.

Fortunately we have men such as Senators Edward Kennedy and John McCain who have labored long in this vineyard, and who have excellent staff who can surely tease out the points of reference between these different bills and suggestions and come up with an agreeable compromise.

It is now clear that Republicans are up for a deal. The fact that Karl Rove, often nicknamed the “President’s Brain” was deeply involved in the Republican/White House discussions proves that the GOP is taking this effort seriously.

Given that reality, we now know that the will is there on the GOP side to get something done . It is certainly there on the Democratic side, as proven by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren’s extraordinary hearings on Ellis Island last week.

She made it plain as a pikestaff that immigration reform has to happen this year and not next because it will be hopelessly entangled with the presidential election and House and Senate races.

So it is now a question of pulling all the strands together. That should not be an impossible task.