(July 7, 2006)--Activists on both sides of the illegal-immigration issue alternately cheered and jeered Friday at a Republican-led House subcommittee hearing on the issue in Laredo.

The panel is holding the unusual field hearing at the Texas-Mexico border to examine immigration and national security.

Democrats denounced the hearings as a charade and political theater, but participated anyway.

House GOP leaders called the hearings last month after the Senate approved a guest worker program and a possible path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants.

A House-approved bill focuses on enforcement and has no provision for illegal immigrants or future guest workers.

The audience Friday was full of activists on both sides of the issue who alternately cheered and booed as the panel members gave their opening statements.

Houston Republican Ted Poe drew cheers by saying that if the United States is protecting the borders of other nations, it should also protect its own.

Minutes later, the audience erupted after South Texas Democrat Ruben Hinojosa said the hearings are a "false promise" and would "do nothing to secure our borders.

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