US:Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate have agreed to revive a stalled Bill that would allow most of an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States legally.
The breakthrough came after President Bush said he would support a plan to ensure that $4.4 billion is spent on improving border security and beefing up enforcement of workplace laws banning the employment of illegal immigrants.
The spending plan is one of about 20 amendments the Senate leaders agreed to admit for consideration if at least 60 senators vote to limit debate on the Bill.
The deal came after a week of intense negotiations among the two parties and a rare visit to Capitol Hill by Mr Bush on Tuesday to persuade Republicans to support the legislation.
The president yesterday welcomed the decision to revive the Bill, which is expected to reach the Senate floor within the next two weeks. "We must meet our moral obligation to treat newcomers with decency and show compassion to the vulnerable and exploited, because we're called to answer both the demands of justice and the call for mercy," Mr Bush told a Hispanic prayer breakfast yesterday.
"Each day our nation fails to act, the problem only grows worse. I will continue to work closely with members of both parties to get past our differences, and pass a Bill I can sign this year."
South Carolina senator Jim De Mint, one of the Bill's leading opponents, said that the proposal to spend $4.4 billion on enforcement measures could persuade a number of Republicans to support the legislation. "We're standing in front of a train, there's no doubt about it," he said.
However, the Bill's supporters were cautious yesterday about its ultimate chances of success, pointing out that even if it passes the Senate, the reform package faces another tough battle in the House of Representatives.
The Bill has already undergone a number of changes, seeing its guest-worker programme cut in half and made subject to review after five years.
Mel Martinez, a Republican supporter of the legislation, voiced concern about the impact of further amendments which opponents could use to derail the Bill.
"There are bad amendments in the package of amendments, there are problems," he said. " I'm not going to suggest we are problem-free."
Among the amendments likely to be considered are proposals to toughen the criteria for allowing illegal immigrants now in the US to receive new "Z" visas that would allow them to remain in the country and eventually apply for citizenship.
Some Republicans want to suspend the legalisation of undocumented immigrants until local governments allow police to inquire about immigrants' legal status during alleged infractions.
Some Democrats are unhappy with the planned guest-worker programme, which they fear will create a new underclass of low-paid workers. Others want to modify a plan to give precedence in future to prospective immigrants with certain skills over those with family ties in the US.