The U.S. Senate voted to bar criminal illegal immigrants from becoming legal residents or U.S. citizens:
The 99-0 vote on the amendment blocking felons and people with three misdemeanor convictions was a key hurdle for the bipartisan immigration bill, which would tighten border security while creating a guest worker program and a path toward citizenship for many of the nation's estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants.[. . .]
An earlier version of the amendment on criminals by Republicans Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona and John Cornyn of Texas was seen as a "poison pill" that could have sunk the whole bill.
The compromise version kept the ban on felons and people with three misdemeanor convictions. To win backing, it granted waivers under some circumstances for illegal immigrants who had ignored deportation orders. For instance, they would be allowed to stay in the United States if their departure would cause "extreme hardship" to family members who are in the country legally.
"This amendment simply closes a loophole and strengthens the bill, and it will help keep Americans safe by ensuring that no felons or repeat criminal offenders will receive amnesty or citizenship," Cornyn said.
The Senate also endorsed citizenship for millions of illegal aliens and voted to build more fencing along the Mexican border:
The vote was 66-33 against a proposal that would have removed provisions giving illegal immigrants in the country more than two years an eventual chance at citizenship.A few minutes earlier, the Senate had voted 83-16 in favor of construction of the fence and 500 miles of vehicle barriers, the first significant victory in two days for conservatives seeking to place their stamp on the measure.
It is still hard to envision how this Senate bill will be reconciled with the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act the House passed in December.
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