US Senate rejects bid to allow 12 million illegal immigrants to stay

THE US Senate yesterday rejected a California Democrat’s plan to allow the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country to remain, work and eventually become Americans, preserving a fragile bipartisan coalition needed to pass the bill.

Several lawmakers who voted against the proposal by Senator Dianne Feinstein said they did so reluctantly, but out of necessity to ensure survival of the broader immigration bill.

The legislation is expected to win Senate passage today or tomorrow.

“This legislation is on the edge of the ledge as it is,” said Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, one of the Republicans supporting a delicate compromise that has kept the bill alive — letting two-thirds of illegal immigrants stay but making the other third leave.

Feinstein’s amendment, which was defeated 61 to 37, would have supplanted the compromise that allows illegal immigrants here five years or more to stay and work six years and seek legal residency after paying back taxes and fines and showing they were learning English.

Those in the country two to five years under the compromise would have to go to a point of entry, exit and file an application to return as a guest worker. Those in the US less than two years must leave the country, but could apply from their native country to return as a guest worker and wait in line to get a visa.

A bigger fight on the bill is still to come — when the House and Senate meet to negotiate a compromise bill. The House passed an enforcement-only bill that makes illegal immigrants felons, cracks down on hiring of illegal immigrants and steps up border security. It offers no path to citizenship or a guest worker program, which critics say is amnesty.