New Republican Compromise Immigration Bill

In an attempt to strike a pre-election Republican compromise onimmigration, two conservative lawmakers will unveil a plan today thatwould allow most of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the UnitedStates a chance to work here legally, but only after the governmentcertifies that U.S. borders have been sufficiently secured, twocongressional aides said.

The proposal — sponsored by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (Tex.) and Rep. Mike Pence(Ind.) — would pressure illegal immigrants to “self-deport” to theirhome countries within two years of the law’s enactment and apply for anew kind of visa that would allow them to return to the United Statesquickly and work legally if a job awaits them. They would have to workhere for 17 years, however, to be eligible for U.S. citizenship. Click here.

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