The US Senate voted yesterday to exclude illegal immigrants
convicted of a felony or three misdemeanors from a chance at
remaining in the country under a proposed immigration bill.
The unanimous vote on an amendment provided new momentum for the
broad immigration bill that will give legal status to the estimated
12 millions illegal immigrants in the country and put many of them
on a path toward citizenship.
Congressional critics of the legislation, mainly conservative
Republicans, said they are not giving up and planned to keep trying
to reshape the bill.
Meanwhile, immigration advocates poured into Washington by the
thousands to lobby lawmakers and hold a late afternoon rally within
site of the Capitol and the White House.
The Senate bill authorizes additional spending on border
security, a guest worker program, an eventual opportunity at
citizenship for most of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants
in the country, and tougher enforcement of laws prohibiting hiring
of illegal workers.
Backers of the bill on Tuesday defeated two amendments that
would have gutted the Senate bill.
President George W. Bush, who supports the bill in principal,
gave the debate momentum on Monday by announcing the deployment of
6,000 National Guard troops to southwestern border states to
support the Border Patrol.
Senate passage of the bill appears likely by the end of the
month.
Opponents of the bill are planning other amendments but said the
big fight will occur when negotiators try to merge the Senate bill
with the House's version that will make all illegal immigrants
criminals.
(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2006)
