A trusted source of news
and information since 1942
Text Onl
Search VOA English
VOICE OF AMERICA
VOA Home VOA English Regions/Topics Subscribe to E-mail Select Language About VOA
Latest Newscast
News Now Live
VOA Africa Live
Africa
Americas
Asia
Europe
Middle East
U.S.A.
American Life
Health & Science
Entertainment
News Analysis
Special Reports
Find VOA Radio or
TV Programs
Podcasts
Webcasts
Correspondents
Broadcast Info
Articles in
Special English
Pronunciations
Read Editorials
Tate report - Download 341k
Listen to Tate report
The U.S. Senate is supporting
President Bush's call for a
comprehensive approach to
immigration reform that includes
boosting border security while
simultaneously addressing the
millions of illegal immigrants in the
United States. In a key vote
Tuesday, lawmakers rejected a plan
that would have focused exclusively
on securing the U.S. borders before
consideration of other immigration
reforms.
The immigration measure that was rejected Tuesday was sponsored
by Republican Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia. He had argued
the United States should have better control of its borders before
considering a guest worker program and citizenship for the millions
of illegal immigrants already in the country.
"The premise is you do not want to create an attraction for more
[illegal immigrants] to come until the border is secure," he said.
But most senators saw it differently, voting 55 to 40 against the
amendment, arguing it would undermine President Bush's call for
comprehensive immigration reform.
The Senate then voted (79 to 16) for a Democrat-sponsored
alternative that calls for moving forward with a guest worker
program that would give undocumented workers the possibility of
gaining U.S. citizenship.
The amendment's sponsor, Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado, says
the United States can no longer avoid dealing with illegal
immigrants who are already in the