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A Republican proposal to crack down on illegal
border crossers with mandatory prison sentences also was to be
discussed Wednesday, as leaders in both parties sought to alter
elements of the broad agreement that are drawing criticism from
their core supporters.
The measure would toughen border security, give
quick legal status to the estimated 12 million immigrants in the
country unlawfully and create a new workplace verification system to
bar undocumented workers from getting jobs.
It would create a point system for future
immigration applicants that would place less emphasis on family
connections and more on education and skills in demand by U.S.
businesses.
Republicans, responding to conservative
criticism that the measure is too lenient, were considering efforts
to bolster its security provisions and make it more difficult for
illegal immigrants to get on a path to citizenship.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who helped craft
the immigration deal, was expected to offer the border security
amendment.
Democrats, hearing criticism from labor unions
and immigrant groups on the guest worker program, were focusing on
shrinking or otherwise altering it.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., was seeking to cap
the number of annual visas available for temporary workers at
200,000. A similar amendment passed the Senate last year by an
overwhelming margin.
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 As currently crafted, the temporary worker plan
would allow up to 600,000 workers -- largely unskilled,
nonagricultural laborers in areas such as construction, landscaping
and meatpacking -- to stay for up to three two-year stints, provided
they left the United States for a year between each stay. A
Democratic attempt to strip the program altogether failed Tuesday in
the first major test of the fragile immigration compromise.
Democrats also are planning attempts to ensure
that more visas would be available for family members of permanent
residents and U.S. citizens.
The coalition of conservatives, liberals and
centrists who worked out the White House-backed deal are struggling
to keep it intact.
Senate leaders in both parties, however, say
it's important to have a wide-ranging debate on the measure. They
have postponed a final vote until June.
"There's good and bad in this," Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said of the bill. "That's what amending
the legislation is all about -- trying to improve it."
[Text copied
from file received from AP
Digital; article by Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Associated Press
writer]
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