The immigration bill shaping up in the Senate would mark a drastic change in four decades of immigration law. The proposal resembles laws in Canada and Australia. Critics are warning of potential pitfalls.
The compromise, by senators from both parties and the White House, would grant legal status to about 12 million illegal immigrants now in the country. But it would put that on hold until new enforcement measures are implemented.
The measure also would allow 600,000 guest workers into the country legally. But they could not bring their families and they could only stay two years at a time, for a maximum of six years.
The bill would shift legal immigration from a system based primarily on keeping families together to one that would be based more on job skills.
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