Up to 11 million illegal residents to be granted U.S. citizenship under new deal hammered out by bipartisan Senate group

A gang of eight Republican and Democratic senators has hammered out an immigration reform deal that could allow 11million illegal immigrants to gain legal status and, eventually, American citizenship. 
The agreement includes strict enforcement measures like stepped up border security and visa exit tracking that must go into effect before any illegal residents are given official status. 
The plan is endorsed by conservative newcomers Marco Rubio, of Florida, and Jeff Flake, of Arizona, as well as liberal veterans Charles Schumer, of New York, and Dick Durbin, of Illinois. The senators hope that the broad range of political ideology in the group - from Tea Party darlings to established progressives - will make the plan palatable for both Republicans in the U.S. House and President Barack Obama.


A second bipartisan group in the Senate has also introduced a plan to double the number of U.S. visas for highly-skilled legal immigrants in the hopes of luring more leaders in math, science, engineering and technology to the United States.
'First of all, Americans support it, in poll after poll,' Sen Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said on 'ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos' on Sunday. 'Secondly, Latino voters expect it. Thirdly, Democrats want it. And fourth, Republicans need it.'

The senators are expected to formally announce the their proposals today, though details have already been leaked to the public. The deals include:

• 'Probationary' legal status for illegal immigrants who register with the government, pass a criminal background check and pay back taxes and a fine
• Those immigrants will be allowed to legally work in the U.S. and will have a pathway to citizenship, but are not eligible for most government benefits
• Citizenship provisions will not take effect until border security is tightened and the U.S. installs effective tracking to ensure foreign visitors do not overstay their visas
• Reforming the legal immigration system, including awarding green cards to immigrants who obtain advanced degrees in science, math, technology or engineering from an American university
• Creating an effective employment verification system to ensure that businesses do not hire illegal immigrants.
• Allowing more low-skill workers into the country and allowing employers to hire immigrants if they can demonstrate they couldn't recruit a U.S. citizen; and establishing an agricultural worker program.
• Loosening residency and citizenship restrictions for illegal immigrants who entered the country when they were children.

Obama promised Hispanic voters that he would make immigration reform one of his top priorities in his second term. He plans to give a major immigration policy speech in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday where he will lay out his own plan to reform the system.
However, immigration reform is also seen as a political necessity by an increasing number of Republicans.
Obama won 71 percent of the Hispanic vote in the 2012 election, compared with Republican Mitt Romney's 29 percent, according to exit polls.
Hispanic voters were decisive in his victories in the key battleground states of Florida, Colorado and Nevada.
Many moderate leaders of the GOP are calling for the party to shift its harsh stance on illegal immigration and allow a 'pathway to citizenship.'
'Look at the last election. We are losing dramatically the Hispanic vote, which we think should be ours,' Arizona Sen John McCain, who has long campaigned for immigration reform, told 'This Week' on Sunday.

SOURCE