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Immigration bill stalls in Senate

Posted on: Friday, 7 April 2006, 13:08 CDT

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A compromise bipartisan plan to overhaul U.S. immigration law stalled on Friday after failing to clear a procedural hurdle in a sharply divided Senate, but the bill's backers vowed to keep trying.

"This fight is not over," said Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, who just 24 hours earlier helped broker a compromise which seemed to have majority support.

The bill would have created a temporary worker program, as proposed by President George W. Bush, and opened the way for over 7 million illegal immigrants to become U.S. citizens.

But a test vote on the measure and another on a rival bill dealing with border security both failed to gain sufficient support, showing how difficult it will be to enact any immigration bill in a bitter congressional election year.

Leaders from both parties who agreed to the compromise on Thursday had predicted wide approval for the bill. But new bickering shelved the measure with opponents charging it would grant amnesty to immigrants who illegally entered the country.

Backers of the compromise fell 22 votes short of the 60 needed in the 100-member Senate to overcome procedural hurdles and move the bill forward. In the second test vote, a border security and enforcement measure sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist also fell far short.

The votes reflected more the acrimony in the divided Senate than actual support for the legislation. Backers of the compromise say it ultimately could win as many as 70 votes.

"We don't intend to give up or give in," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat who worked along with McCain to fashion the compromise bill.

Both sides blamed each other for the stalemate. Republicans accused Democrats of blocking votes on amendments. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said Republican opponents "hoped to kill it by amendment."

BILL MAY BE DOOMED

The Senate action complicates and could ultimately doom efforts to pass comprehensive reform before the November mid-term elections.

In addition, any Senate bill would have to be merged with a much more stringent House of Representatives bill that stresses border security and defines all of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country as felons.

The compromise Senate deal was struck despite opposition by some Republicans who said giving millions of illegal immigrants a path to U.S. citizenship would reward them for breaking the law by entering the country without proper papers.

Frist, who had embraced the bipartisan compromise, said it was not doomed. He pledged to try to revive it after lawmakers return from a two-week break that starts this weekend.

"It's too big of a problem," said Frist. "Our borders and interior enforcement absolutely require that we address it. Twelve million people in the shadows is inexcusable. So we will come back and address it."

The congressional debate has provoked large protests by Hispanics in many U.S. cities against the House bill. More demonstrations are planned in 10 cities on Monday.

The compromise bill would divide illegal immigrants into three groups. The more than 7 million who have lived in the country for five years or more would get a chance to earn U.S. citizenship by paying a fine, paying taxes, learning English and meeting some other requirements.

About 3 million who had been in the United States less than five but more than two years could apply for work visas, but would have to travel to U.S. port of entry to pick them up.

Those in the country for less than two years, roughly 1.5 million, would have to leave and apply to return. (additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro, Richard Cowan)

Source: REUTERS

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