April 6 (Bloomberg) -- Senate Republicans reached an agreement on procedures for allowing undocumented aliens to apply for citizenship, clearing an obstacle that stalled legislation overhauling U.S. immigration laws. ``It moves the debate forward,'' Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee told reporters last night.
The compromise splits the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants into three groups, based on how long they have been in the U.S., for the purpose of setting rules on their eligibility to apply for legal status.
Under the plan hammered out by Republicans last night, the more than 1 million undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. after Jan. 7, 2004, would have to return to their home countries and apply for a new guest-worker program from there.
The estimated 3 million immigrants who illegally entered between 2001 and 2004 would have three years to apply for legal status as part of a new temporary-worker program and pay as much as $3,000 in fines. To receive their temporary-worker visas, they would have to travel to a land port of entry and physically leave the U.S. before immediately re-entering.
Once they receive the visas, they could stay as long as six years while applying for one of 130,000 permanent residency cards set aside annually for the group. If they don't win permanent residency after six years, they would have to leave.
More Than Five Years
Undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. more than five years, an estimated 7 million people, would be able to keep their jobs after paying a $1,000 fine and meeting other criteria, such as learning English.
Before a two-week recess begins at the end of this week, the Senate is working to pass an overhaul of immigration policies that includes strengthening border security and creating a guest- worker program. Debate on the measure had stalled as Republicans negotiated how to treat undocumented immigrants and Democrats worked to block amendments they said were too harsh.
The House last year passed legislation that increases border security without addressing a guest-worker program or allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for legal status. Any Senate measure would have to be merged with the House proposal.
Paying a Fine
Republicans including Mel Martinez of Florida, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Lindsay Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona spent days negotiating before agreeing on this proposal.
Under the agreement, all undocumented immigrants in the U.S. for more than five years would be able to acquire legal residency and U.S. citizenship after about 11 years.
The compromise doesn't change guest-worker proposals that would allow 400,000 immigrants each year to enter the U.S. for jobs.
Frist, upon introducing the compromise plan, moved to limit debate on it and said senators will have the opportunity over the next two days to vote on three separate immigration proposals. They are the compromises introduced last night; Frist's own legislation that focuses on border security and enforcement of immigration laws; and a Judiciary Committee measure that lets undocumented immigrants in the country before Jan. 7, 2004, apply for legal status and stay at their jobs in the U.S. after paying a $1,000 fine, passing a background check and learning English.
The votes will ``allow people to express where they are,'' Frist said. ``We can't predict the outcome.''
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said last night that while he hadn't read the new proposal he was told it makes only ``minimal changes'' to how undocumented immigrants would gain legal status compared with the committee legislation.
``If that's all it is, it's a victory,'' he said. ``I hope it's something we can support.''