Senate Republicans offer immigration compromise

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday
reached agreement on a compromise immigration plan to try to
break an impasse over a bill that would give millions of
illegal immigrants a chance to become citizens.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee offered the
measure as an alternative to legislation approved by the Senate
Judiciary Committee and now being debated by the Senate. At the
same time Frist filed a motion to force a vote on the measure.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada said
Democrats would look at the proposal and he “hoped it is
something that we all could support.”

Republicans were deeply divided over the Senate Judiciary
Committee bill which would provide a path to citizenship for
some of the 11 million people living in the country illegally.
They would have to pay a fine, pay their taxes, show good
character and learn English, and it would take about 11 years
to gain citizenship.

The Republican alternative would separate the population
into three groups depending on how long they lived in the
United States as of January 2004. Those in the country longer
than five years would be eligible for citizenship along the
lines contained in the Judiciary Committee bill, aides said.

Those who have lived two to five years in the United States
would have six months to register and three years to apply for
a temporary work visa or some other visa, aides said. They
could live in the country legally during that time but would
have to return to a U.S. port of entry to get the visa.

Illegal immigrants in the country less than two years would
not be eligible for special treatment and would have to leave,
aides said.

Republicans struck the agreement after President George W.
Bush urged them to pass a comprehensive bill that includes his
proposed guest worker program.

“This is a vital debate,” Bush said after a White House
meeting with Republican congressional leaders. “I strongly urge
them to come to a conclusion as quickly as possible and pass a
comprehensive bill.”

Bush said it must include a guest-worker program, saying it
was not amnesty but would “enable us to more secure the border,
will recognize that there are people here working hard for jobs
Americans won’t do.”

He opposed an amnesty that provides automatic citizenship.

Any Senate bill would have to be worked out with a tough
border security and enforcement bill passed by the House of
Representatives last December.

That bill has sparked nationwide protests by Hispanic
groups and their supporters. It defines illegal presence in the
country as a felony, instead of a civil offense, and calls for
the construction of a fence along the border with Mexico.