Immigration Backers Defeat Challenges

Maria de los Angeles, center, and other volunteers at the Casa del Migrante shelter for migrants helps clean up the kitchen after dinner in Tijuana, Mexico, Wednesday, May 23, 2007. Republicans and Democrats placed strict new conditions on a broad immigration measure Wednesday, as the White House and the bipartisan group that crafted it fought to keep their compromise intact. (AP Photo/David Maung) (David Maung - AP)

Proponents were working to rebut criticism that the measure is too lenient by playing up border security and worker verification measures. They highlighted the hurdles illegal immigrants would have to scale _ including fines, background checks and holding down a job _ to gain lawful status through a new "Z visa."

"This bill does not grant amnesty. Amnesty is forgiveness without a penalty," Bush said.

Critics argue the measure could invite new waves of illegal immigrants by rewarding those already here.

"In my opinion and the opinion of many people, many Americans, this is amnesty _ pure and simple," Vitter said. "What it means is creating a magnet to increase illegal activity into the country."

The Senate is to consider several other GOP challenges to the legalization plan for unlawful immigrants after it returns from a weeklong Memorial Day recess. One, by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, would bar those classified as terrorists or gang members, among others, from taking advantage of it.

A second, by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, would require that illegal immigrants leave the country before they could obtain a Z visa. The bill only requires heads of households seeking a green card for permanent legal residency to return home.

Also planned are attempts by Democrats to expand opportunities for family members of legal permanent residents and citizens to come to the U.S. They also want to eliminate or change a new point system for allocating green cards to future immigrants, which prioritizes employment criteria like skills and education over family ties.

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., who abandoned the bipartisan deal shortly before it became public last week, is leading the effort to give more weight to family in the measure. Several presidential hopefuls including Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Barack Obama of Illinois, are pushing such changes.

Meanwhile, interest groups which have mixed views of the measure were mobilizing to activate a public clamor across the nation for action on immigration.

The Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform released Internet and radio ads quoting Kennedy, an architect of the bill, as saying it was "not perfect."

"That's why it's urgent to elevate our voice to achieve the improvements our community needs," said the spot, which is to run in heavily Hispanic media markets.

A coalition of business, labor, Hispanic and religious groups pressing for an immigration overhaul said it would press ahead during the congressional break for action on the issue.

"Inaction is not an option," said Frank Sharry of the National Immigration Forum.