The US Senate has voted to revive a stalled immigration overhaul backed by President George W. Bush that would offer a path to citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants.
The Senate voted 64-35 to resume debate on the bill, which ties tough border security and workplace enforcement measures which would allow most undocumented immigrants, including thousands of Irish people, to remain in the US legally.
After collapsing on the floor two weeks ago, the Bill made a comeback after Mr Bush said he would approve more than $4 billion (€2.97 billion) in extra funds to secure the US border with Mexico.
High-tech companies, including Microsoft and Google, have lobbied for changes to the Bill so that more highly-skilled workers can come to the US.
The Bill would expand the number of visas for skilled professionals, but the companies say the limit should be raised further to ensure that the US remains competitive.
Even if today's motion to limit debate on the Bill wins the support of 60 senators, the legislation could be killed within days as about two dozen amendments are debated.
