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                 US Senators Unveil Plan for Immigration Reform

   A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has unveiled a plan for immigration
   reform that includes a path to citizenship for those currently in the
   country illegally.
   One of the eight senators, Charles Schumer, described it as a tough but
   fair plan for citizenship. At a Washington news conference Monday, the
   New York Democrat said President Barack Obama is pleased with the
   compromise.
   Marco Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida, said lawmakers have an
   obligation to address the situation of the 11 million people in the
   country illegally while being fair to those seeking citizenship though
   legal channels.
   The senators say the U.S. immigration system is "broken." They released
   their proposal ahead of President Obama`s Tuesday speech urging action
   on immigration reform.
   Under the plan, illegal immigrants would register with the government,
   pass a background check, pay fines and back taxes, and complete other
   steps to earn a probationary status that would allow them to legally
   live and work in the United States. They would then be placed at the
   back of the line for those seeking a so-called green card as a
   permanent legal resident.
   The plan includes exceptions for those who entered the country as
   children, as well as for agricultural workers who the senators say play
   an important role in maintaining the nation`s food supply.
   The new plan also includes increased immigration enforcement.
   There is also a provision to create an effective system for employers
   to verify that workers are legal. Another system would be set up to
   ensure those who enter the country on short-term visas leave when their
   approved time is up.
   In addition to senators Schumer and Rubio, the others who worked on the
   proposal are Democrats Dick Durbin, Robert Menendez and Michael Bennet,
   and Republicans John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and Jeff Flake. They
   represent some of the states most affected by illegal migration,
   including Arizona, Florida, South Carolina and New York.
   Their proposal says the 11 million undocumented immigrants came "almost
   exclusively for jobs."
   The plan would allow employers to hire lower-skilled workers for
   positions that Americans are unavailable or unwilling to take. It would
   also give permanent resident status to those who earn a doctorate or
   master`s degree in science, engineering or math from a U.S. university,
   in a bid to retain more "future innovators and entrepreneurs."
   The senators also want to reduce backlogs in family and employment
   visas, saying those efforts would help future immigrants see a legal
   path as the only route to entering the United States.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/us-senators-unveil-plan-for-immigrati
   on-reform/1592555.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-senators-unveil-plan-for-immigration-reform/1592555.html