12 Million await immigration reform bill

A bipartisan agreement in the Senate has proposed an immigration reform bill that would address an estimated 12 million people who are in this country illegally. The measure has backing from the White House. Voting in the senate has been postponed until after the Memorial Day weekend. Debate will continue for another week after the Senate returns from a recess on June 4.

The bill is being criticized by both Republicans and Democrats. The central and most controversial part of the bill would replace a family-based policy with a "merit-based" one that prioritizes an immigrants' educational and skill level. Although the bill does give preferences to the spouses and minor children of legal U.S. citizens, immigrant rights groups maintain that it will separate families.

Another key provision in the proposed bill would allow illegal immigrants who entered the country before January 1, 2007 to obtain a "Z visa" that is renewable every four years. They have to pass a criminal background check and pay a $1,000 fine. If they wanted to get a green card and be set on becoming a U.S. citizen, the process itself could take between eight to 13 years and would require heads of households to return to their country of origin first. They would then have to pay an additional $4,000 and demonstrate proficiency in English.

The bill would establish a 400,000 person per year guest worker program which is not likely to lead to citizenship. The visas would last two years and is followed by required year in the home country. Guest workers can only renew their visas twice. The heart of the measure is increased funding for border enforcement and worker verification technology.

Opponents of the proposed immigration reform bill say that it grants amnesty to those who broke the law by entering this country illegally. The House is unlikely to take up the issue until the Senate passes immigration legislation first. The complex bill has been praised by President Bush, which includes many of his ideas and could be a legacy for his second term as well. "I really am anxious to sign a comprehensive immigration bill as soon as I possibly can," he says.

An immigration reform bill was proposed last year but failed. This time, there is hope for new legislation because of the partnership in evidence when it was announced at a news conference by 10 senators, which included Ted Kennedy, a liberal Democrat, and Jon Kyl of Arizona, a conservative who is also chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. If the proposed immigration reform bill passes, it would be the biggest change in immigration policy in more than 20 years.