WASHINGTON — Senators negotiating a bipartisan immigration reform bill have settled on the details of a plan that would immediately grant legal status to all illegal immigrants currently in the United States.
The deal on "Z visas" for illegal immigrants is one of several issues where Democrats and Republicans have reached broad agreement.
But as senators emerged from what they had hoped would be a final round of negotiations Tuesday, they indicated that painstakingly slow progress would keep them from meeting the deadline set by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to begin debate on a bill today.
Late Tuesday, Reid agreed to push that deadline to Monday.
"They tell me they're 80% of the way," Reid said in announcing the delay. "That's fine, the other 20% is hard."
The plan to award legal status to all illegal immigrants who meet certain qualifications would occur only after other "triggers" are met. These triggers would require that certain border security and work-site enforcement measures be in place before other aspects of the overhaul go forward.
The Z visa plan would start with the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States going on a probationary legal status. If the triggers are met -- a process that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) estimated would take 18 months -- then illegal immigrants who qualify could get Z visas. Those who have committed felonies would not be eligible, Graham said, and all participants would have to pass security checks, pay a fine and a processing fee and pass an English proficiency test.
Z visa holders would be able to apply for legal permanent resident status, a step toward citizenship. But at some point, the heads of households with Z visas would have to return to his or her home country and then reenter the United States. They would have to take their Z visa to the U.S. Embassy or consulate and would be guaranteed reentry. The Z visa would include a photo and fingerprints, Graham said.
Tuesday's talks followed two months of negotiations between key senators and administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez.
"We've made a lot of progress," said Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.). "There are a few issues outstanding. The staffs have worked around the clock."
