Immigration deal a 'hard sell'

BY GLENN THRUSH | Newsday Washington Bureau

April 7, 2006

WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats and Republicans agreed to a last-ditch compromise yesterday to save immigration reform, but their effort still must run a gantlet of conservative Republicans in the Senate and House.

The new measure, which reportedly has the support of 65 senators - including about 20 or more of the 55 Republicans - could be passed today or tomorrow, GOP aides said.

The deal includes many of the border protections and lenient guest worker provisions included in a bipartisan bill that hit the Senate floor last week and requires that undocumented workers prove they have lived here for more than two years to retain rights to remain, an addition geared at diffusing conservative opposition.

"It's a major breakthrough agreement," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who unveiled the deal with Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

On Wednesday, they were at each other's throats as chances of reaching a deal faded.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who worked on the deal, described it as a "plea bargain" that offers a chance at citizenship for those willing to play by the rules.

The accord capped off 36 hours of intense wrangling, which Reid described as "a tug of war in the mud."

Even though the Senate has reached a deal, it still must reconcile its measure with a get-tough House bill passed in December. That proposal beefs up border security while including none of the guest worker provisions favored by the Senate and President George W. Bush.

"It's going to be a very hard sell," said House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King (R-Seaford). "At this point I'd have to oppose it and there's going to be real opposition to it in the leadership."

Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), who recently signaled he might accept some kind of guest worker program, refused to comment on the agreement until the Senate passes its bill.

In addition, a handful of conservative senators are planning to introduce amendments intended to gut the bill; Frist (R-Tenn.) has committed to allowing several to come for a vote.

Despite the hurdles, advocacy groups were guardedly optimistic. The deal would "significantly reform our broken immigration system," said Douglas Rivlin, spokesman for a group of pro-immigrant organizations.

Under the deal, an estimated 7 million undocumented immigrants who have lived here for five years could remain provided they pay back taxes and a $2,000 fine, learn English and pass a background check.

Undocumented immigrants here between two to five years - around 3 million people - would have to leave for a time and apply to legally re-enter through one of 16 designated border entry points.

The estimated 1 million undocumented immigrants here for less than two years are not qualified for either option.

Staff Writer Peter Clark contributed to this story.