Smooth Path Sought for Immigration Bill

Sen. John McCain, center, responds to media questions following a speech in support of the an immigration bill being debated in Congress to the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce in Coral Gables, Fla. Monday, June 4, 2007. Also pictured are, from left: Sen. Lindsey Graham; Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen; Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart; and Rep.Mario Diaz-Balart. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (Lynne Sladky - AP)

The Senate also is considering a bid by Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., to more than double, to 90,000 a year, the number of green cards available for parents of U.S. citizens.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., plans an attempt to phase out the point system that gives little credit for family ties to a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the lead Democratic negotiator on the measure, is sympathetic to the family changes but concerned that adopting them could cost the bill vital support, aides say.

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., another architect of the bill, has made ending so-called "chain migration" _ immigration based largely on family ties _ a top priority. He described the proposals by Menendez and Clinton as "killer amendments" whose passage would prompt him to "do everything I could to get (the bill) defeated."

Still, Cornyn has said he is inclined to back Menendez's proposal, since it would give people who have applied for green cards an advantage over those who came to the U.S. illegally.

If accepting it would pave the way for toughening the legalization process _ such as by broadening the group of illegal immigrants who must return home or requiring them to do so sooner _ then even more Republicans might be able to be brought along.

The measure requires that illegal immigrants seeking green cards wait until an approximately eight-year backlog is cleared before applying, and that heads of household go home to do so. Negotiators have discussed moving up the requirement so that they would have to return home sooner, within two or four years.

The so-called "touchback" requirement, once considered anathema by Democrats, is a key element of the compromise and _ along with steep fines for illegal immigrants _ a major reason that President Bush and Republican supporters argue the measure's grant of legal status doesn't amount to amnesty.