Possible Senate Immigration Compromise Floated

Deal focuses on illegal immigrants in U.S. for more than 5 years

WASHINGTON (By Deirdre Walsh and Dana Bash, CNN) April 4, 2006 — GOP senators seeking a compromise that could help them pass an immigration bill emerged Monday night from a meeting with Majority Leader Bill Frist with a plan to craft a bill that would give special treatment to long-term illegal immigrants.

The idea, which the senator from Tennessee floated Sunday on CNN's "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer," was described by Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter as the "roots concept."

It would treat those illegal immigrants in the United States for at least five years -- and who have likely developed "roots" -- differently from those who have been in the country for less than five years, the Republican from Pennsylvania said.

There would be a series of criteria to determine the fate of illegal immigrants.

Details of this emerging idea are still vague and are being hashed out. It remains unclear whether this can garner enough support.

The concept was first pushed by Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska, and endorsed by Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Florida, both of whom attended Monday's meeting.

It is expected to be discussed Tuesday morning at an immigration meeting with all GOP senators.

The senators, including Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, told reporters that Frist is determined to finish the immigration bill in the Senate by week's end.

Those who attended the hour-long meeting held out hope that such a plan might attract the 60 votes needed to get a bill to conference with the House.

That, despite the fact that some GOP senators told CNN on Monday they would prefer more time be allocated to debate rather than to a rushed-through bill.

That was the topic of discussion at a White House meeting Monday afternoon with Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, Bush congressional liaison Candi Wolff, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Arizona, and Sen John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Sources involved in the meeting said the session centered on trying to devise a compromise that would garner the 60 votes needed to pass the Senate.

The immigration debate has split Republican lawmakers. In December, the GOP-controlled House passed a bill that focused mainly on border enforcement measures and includes no legalization programs.

The House measure sparked large rallies across the country, including Los Angeles and Detroit, that protested the legislation, saying it unfairly targets the immigrant community.

Many of the senators emerging from the Monday evening meeting support the McCain-Kennedy "guest-worker" program, which would put illegal immigrants on a path to U.S. citizenship.

The guest-worker program is part of an immigration bill, which was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, that would require them to pay $2,000 in fines, undergo a background check, learn English and work for six years before being granted permanent residency. Supports have dubbed the program "earned citizenship."

But several senators, including Specter, acknowledged that the belief by some senators that the committee's bill represents "amnesty" could doom it.

White House officials said they have been pushing Frist and other GOP leaders to keep the process moving.

Last week, President Bush said a guest-worker program is an essential element to any immigration legislation.

"You cannot enforce the border without having a temporary guest-worker program," Bush said. "The two go hand in hand. There are people doing jobs Americans will not do."