US: Illegal immigrants in the United States would be allowed to remain in the country and regularise their status with a special visa under a new proposal by a leading Republican senator.
Senate judiciary committee chairman Arlen Specter wants to allow all illegal immigrants who have had a job since at least January 2004 to remain in the country as for long as they have work. The scheme, which Mr Specter calls a "gold card" programme, would affect an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in America, including tens of thousands of Irish citizens.
The judiciary committee will discuss immigration reform today as more than 1,000 illegal Irish immigrants are expected to arrive in Washington for a rally.
The demonstration, organised by the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR), aims to put pressure on legislators to support reforms that would give the undocumented a chance to live and work legally in the US.
Mr Specter's proposal contains some elements of a bill put forward by senators John McCain and Edward Kennedy, and some Republicans have been quick to dismiss it as an amnesty for illegal immigrants.
The gold card programme would require illegal immigrants to complete a background check and to pay all federal taxes owed for employment before January 4th, 2004. They would receive a two-year visa that could be renewed indefinitely if the applicant has a job and although, unlike the Kennedy/McCain bill, it does not offer a path to citizenship, the Specter proposal would allow gold card holders to apply for a green card.
Immigrants would have a year to apply for a gold card once the legislation is enacted. They would pay no fines and would not be forced to return home provided they remain employed. Mr Specter also wants to double the number of green cards offered annually, to 290,000.
Today's rally in Washington is expected to be addressed by senators Kennedy and McCain, congressman Jim Walsh and former congressman Bruce Morrison.