Senate Debates US Immigration Reform By BBC - Caribbean May 21, 2007 ........................................................................................................................................ The US Senate Monday started debating a key immigration bill that could give legal status to many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, including thousands from the Caribbean. Last week, President George W Bush and a bipartisan group of senators crafted a compromise version of the bill that would also strengthen border controls. The deal followed months of bitter debate and the bill's critics are continuing to voice opposition. The proposal needs to be passed by both houses of Congress to become law. President Bush, who has made immigration reform one of his priorities, has said he wants to see new legislation in place by the end of this year. The bill's backers in the Senate are hoping it wins swift approval and avoids being caught up in the upcoming election cycle as politicians turn their attention to the 2008 presidential vote. The House of Representatives is expected to consider its own legislation in July and Mr Bush is likely to face quite a fight there, says the BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington. Only when and if the two versions are reconciled would Mr Bush be able to sign the bill into law. 'Amnesty' The Democratic Party's negotiator on the issue, Sen Edward Kennedy, has said the bill would create "a tough but fair path to citizenship" for millions of immigrants. "The bill isn't exactly the way I would have written it, but it is a strong compromise and the best chance we will have to finally fix this broken system," he said. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the agreement "can serve as a starting point" for debate but said he had serious concerns about some aspects. Analysts say the compromise thrashed out last week has made the bill extremely complex and so open to attacks from all sides. Under the proposed new Senate bill, illegal immigrants could seek a planned "Z visa" after paying a $5,000 (£2,530) fine and returning to their home country to file the application. Holders of this proposed visa would have to wait between eight and 13 years for a decision. latest news Jamaica Police Investigages Scam British Prime Minister Sorry for Slavery CARICOM Issues Explored Angllicans Face Difficult Summit Trinidadian Carnival Exodus New Caribbean Program Premiers on NY TV Exemption for Antigua Nurses More Complaints About CARICOM Grenada Goofs: Anthem Mixup Windies Selectors to Mull Over CWC Squad More Cricket World Cup Semis Tickets on Sale JA Airport Revamp Won't Be Ready for Cup Celebrating Bob Marley with Food & Fashion CARICOM Single Space Travel Begins Caribbean Tops Prisoner's List AIDS Discrimination in the Caribbean Whaling Showdown Likely Record Year for Global Tourism Five Killed by Jamaican Police Four Dead in Haiti UN Operation   | | | | |