President Bush said today that he had directed the F.B.I. to issue the appeal for the public's help in tracking down five men who the authorities believe may have illegally slipped into the United States last week.

Some of the new arrivals enter the country by legal means while others slip through the cracks illegally.

Finally, Nash said to no one in particular, "About a million people slip into this country illegally every year.

In recent months, however, the avenue has become increasingly clogged with commercial vans, trucks, buses and tractor-trailers that are illegally slipping onto West End to avoid congestion on Broadway, residents and local officials say.

Some officials suspect, however, that the new law has led more foreigners to slip into Germany illegally.

Mr. Starr has repeatedly denied that his office illegally slipped grand jury secrets to reporters.

After all, he too slipped into the country illegally, on foot and stuffed in the trunk of a car.

David E. Kendall, the President's personal lawyer, has accused Mr. Starr's office of illegally slipping information to reporters and has sought sanctions against it.

The North Korean Central News Agency said the police arrested Mr. Hunzike on Aug. 24 after he illegally slipped into the country from China, across the Yalu River.

"They didn't slip over the borders illegally."