WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of leading senators has reached agreement on the principles of sweeping legislation to rewrite the nation’s immigration laws.
The deal, which was to be announced at a news conference this afternoon, covers border security, guest workers and employer verification, as well as a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal aliens already in this country.
Although thorny details remain to be negotiated and success is far from certain, the development heralds the start of what could be the most significant effort in years toward overhauling the nation’s inefficient patchwork of immigration laws.
President Barack Obama also is committed to enacting comprehensive immigration legislation and will travel to Nevada on Tuesday to lay out his vision, which is expected to overlap in important ways with the Senate effort.
The eight senators expected to endorse the new principles today are Democrats Charles Schumer of New York, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Michael Bennet of Colorado; and Republicans John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida and Jeff Flake of Arizona.
Several of these lawmakers have worked for years on the issue. McCain collaborated with the late Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy on comprehensive immigration legislation pushed by then-President George W. Bush in 2007, only to see it collapse in the Senate when it couldn’t get enough GOP support.
Now, with some Republicans chastened by the November elections which demonstrated the importance of Hispanic voters and their increasing commitment to Democrats, some in the GOP say this time will be different.
“What’s changed, honestly, is that there is a new, I think, appreciation on both sides of the aisle - including maybe more importantly on the Republican side of the aisle - that we have to enact a comprehensive immigration reform bill,” McCain said Sunday on ABC’s This Week.
According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, the senators will call for accomplishing four goals:
Creating a path to citizenship for illegal aliens already here, contingent upon securing the border and better tracking of people here on visas.
Overhauling the legal immigration system, including awarding green cards to immigrants who obtain advanced degrees in science, math, technology or engineering from an American university.
Creating an effective employment verification system to ensure that employers do not hire illegal aliens.
Allowing more low-skill workers into the country and allowing employers to hire aliens if they can demonstrate they couldn’t recruit a U.S. citizen; and establishing an agricultural-worker program.
“Let’s be very clear: Having a pathway to earned legalization is an essential element. And I think that we are largely moving in that direction as an agreement,” said Menendez.
In order to satisfy the concerns of Rubio and other Republicans, the senators are calling for the completion of steps on border security and oversight of those here on visas before taking major steps forward on the path to citizenship.
Even then, those here illegally would have to qualify for a “probationary legal status” that would allow them to live and work here - but not qualify for federal benefits - before being able to apply for permanent residency. Once they are allowed to apply, they would do so behind everyone else already in line for a green card within the current immigration system.
Front Section, Pages 3 on 01/28/2013