Sen. Specter Introduces Immigration Bill, Similar to Cornyn-Kyl

"The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is circulating a draft of a compromise immigration bill that does not include guest worker provisions favored by President Bush," the New York Times reports. "The draft from the lawmaker, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, opens a new stage in an emotional debate that is expected to play a major role in elections in many states next year. It has already divided the Republican Party, pitting talk-radio populists hostile to illegal immigrants against businesses seeking willing workers and religious groups with humanitarian concerns . . . Mr. Specter's early draft hews more closely to a rival bill sponsored by Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Jon Kyl of Arizona, both Republicans. Like that proposal, which emphasizes bolstering border security and enforcement of immigration law, Mr. Specter's draft would require illegal immigrants to return to their home countries before applying for re-entry as temporary workers."

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