US: Republican senators are struggling to agree a compromise on immigration reform in advance of a self-imposed deadline on Friday, with no single proposal commanding a majority within the party.
An hour-long meeting yesterday failed to produce a consensus as Republican senators gave a tepid response to a proposal that would distinguish between different categories of illegal immigrants.
The plan put forward by Nebraska's Chuck Hagel and Florida's Mel Martinez would give undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States for more than five years a better chance than more recent arrivals of becoming US citizens.
The measure would also distinguish between immigrants who entered the country illegally and those who overstayed their visa or stayed longer than the 90 days allowed under the visa waiver programme.
Texas Republican John Cornyn, who wants illegal immigrants to be obliged to go home before applying for a temporary worker visa, said yesterday the new proposal had failed to win majority support.
"Reports of Senator Hagel and Senator Martinez leading us out of the wilderness are perhaps a little overstated," he said.
The Senate is debating legislation introduced by majority leader Bill Frist that focuses only on improving border security and taking tougher action against employers who hire illegal immigrants. Mr Frist has recently, however, joined those who want a comprehensive immigration Bill which includes a temporary worker programme to regularise the status of the US's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, who include tens of thousands of Irish citizens.
The Senate judiciary committee last week backed a proposal that includes key elements of a Bill proposed by Republican John McCain and Democrat Edward Kennedy, which is backed by the Government and by the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform.
The Senate judiciary committee proposal would allow illegal immigrants to obtain temporary work visas, with the possibility of US citizenship after at least 11 years if they pay a fine and all back taxes.
Mr McCain believes the committee's proposal has the support of a bipartisan majority of senators, but probably not the 60 votes needed to cut off debate and force a vote.
Mr Frist said yesterday he remained confident that senators will reach agreement before the Senate goes into a two-week recess on Friday."We will see where the will of the Senate is."
If senators fail to agree by Friday, the immigration issue will be dropped for 60 days and could be abandoned until after November's congressional elections. If the Senate approves a Bill, legislators must seek a further compromise with the House of Representatives, which has approved a Bill on security that would order the building of a fence along the border with Mexico, but with no provision for regularising the status of illegal immigrants already in the US.
Mr Cornyn yesterday expressed doubt about the wisdom of seeking agreement among senators by Friday. "Nothing happens unless everyone starts to feel the pressure. On the other hand, I think there is a risk to try and jam this down senators' throats. My impression is people are all over the map."
The US has seen massive demonstrations against a crackdown on illegal immigrants in recent weeks, including a march in Los Angeles that attracted 200,000 people and further protests are planned in 10 cities next Monday.
Hispanic immigrants and their supporters yesterday announced a one-day strike and commercial boycott on May 1st to pressure Congress into giving illegal immigrants the right to gain citizenship.
Juan Jose Gutierrez, director of the Latino Movement USA, said that participants in the strike would stay away from work and school and refuse to buy or sell anything on May 1st.
"We're flexing our muscles to send a message that we are not criminals," he said.
Opinion polls show that most Americans want better border security and a crackdown on employers who hire illegal immigrants, but also favour a temporary worker programme for illegal immigrants already in the US.
"We think that the right thing to do is to grant full rights, full equality, under the laws in the Constitution of the United States to all immigrants, period," Mr Gutierrez said yesterday.