Senate leaders claim immigration breakthrough

A U.S. Senate breakthrough on a long-sought overhaul of immigration law on Thursday could clear the way for approval of a bill that would give millions of illegal immigrants a path to citizenship, lawmakers said.

But the compromise still faced opposition from some Republicans who said it would give amnesty to people who broke the law, and it was unclear whether it could be passed before Congress starts a two-week break, due to begin this week.

Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada told reporters details of an agreement needed to be worked out, but they were optimistic the Senate could pass the legislation.

"We've had a huge breakthrough ... that will lead us to the conclusion of passing a very important bill," Frist said at a news conference with Reid and other key lawmakers.

The congressional debate over how to deal with an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants has sparked large protests in many U.S. cities against a crackdown and more demonstrations are planned in 10 cities next Monday.

The Senate deal centers on a compromise offered by Republicans that included a temporary worker program backed by President George W. Bush. It also would allow illegal immigrants who have been in the United States more than five years, about seven to eight million people, a chance to become citizens if they pay a fine, pay their taxes, and meet other requirements such as learning English.

Bush said he was encouraged by the breakthrough and urged quick passage of the legislation.

The Mexican government in a statement called the agreement "an important step toward to establishing new mechanisms that permit legal, safe and ordered migration which respects human rights."

OPPOSITION LINGERS

Five Senate Republicans -- John Cornyn of Texas, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Jon Kyl of Arizona and Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, both of Georgia -- announced their opposition.

Any Senate bill still has to be merged with a House of Representatives version that focuses on border security and enforcement and makes it a felony, instead of a civil offense, to be in the country illegally. It also calls for constructing a fence along parts of the U.S. border with Mexico.

A number of conservative House Republicans oppose Senate provisions that would give illegal immigrants a chance at legal status and citizenship.

"I do not believe a plan of this nature can pass the House," said Rep. Thomas Tancredo (news, bio, voting record), a Colorado Republican.

The AFL-CIO labor federation also opposed the measure, saying in a statement that would drive down wages for all workers and fail to treat all illegal immigrants equally.

The Senate compromise would allow some three million illegal immigrants who had been in the United States less than five years but more than two years to apply for a work visa.

But they would have to travel to a U.S. port of entry to get it.

Illegal immigrants who had lived in the country less than two years, roughly 1.5 million, would have to leave to apply for a visa to re-enter.

Senate Democrats were seeking assurances from the Republican majority that basic elements of the Senate bill would remain intact in negotiations with the House.

Reid praised the breakthrough, saying "even though we all feel good about today, it pales in comparison to the millions and millions of people out there who today feel that they have a chance to participant in the American dream."

(Additional reporting by Adriana Barrera in Mexico City, Joanne Kenen, Vicki Allen, Thomas Ferraro in Washington)