RELATED STORIES

• Senate halts immigration bill

More National/World

• Congressman is indicted
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

WASHINGTON — A controversial immigration reform bill was jeopardized today when senators refused by a nearly 2-to-1 margin to limit debate on amendments and force a final vote by Friday.

In the 63-33 votes, all 48 Republicans, including Pete Domenici of Albuquerque, voted "no" because they want to offer more amendments.

They were joined by 15 Democrats, including Jeff Bingaman of Silver City, who were not happy with the compromise bill drafted behind closed doors by about a dozen senators from both parties.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said the Senate would continue to work on amendments to the bill but he warned that eventually he will turn to a pending Bingaman energy bill and more debate on Iraq.

The bipartisan coalition of supporters for the bill, including Domenici, prevailed in early votes Wednesday, defeating several so-called "killer amendments," but the coalition began to break down Wednesday night.

By a 49-48 vote, senators eliminated a program to allow 200,000 guest workers into the country each year after it is in operation five years. Republicans warned that would cost the support of the business community.

The bill took another controversial tack when senators voted 64-33 to make English the national language and documents in English the sole authority for legal purposes.

But senators also approved 58-39 a conflicting amendment by Domenici and Sen. Ken Salazar, a Colorado Democrat, to make English the "common language" and let citizens continue to use tax forms, ballots and other government documents in their preferred language.

Domenici and Bingaman opposed the English-as-national-language amendment. Domenici told senators that the New Mexico Constitution guarantees equal rights to Spanish speakers.

In fact, Congress tried to delay statehood for New Mexico until a majority of the population became English speakers but in 1911 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Congress could not impose such conditions on new states.

"The family histories that can be heard throughout New Mexico date back over 400 years," Domenici said. "These are not illegal immigrants."

Earlier, Domenici warned senators not to lose the historic opportunity to pass the immigration bill by changing the bipartisan plan.

"The more you change it, the more you risk losing it," Domenici said.

But Bingaman told The Tribune it was more important to "produce legislation that makes sense" because whatever they do is likely to be the law for a long time.

"It's not my job as a senator to defer to a group of self-appointed senators who have cut some particular deal that satisfies their own political needs and view of the world," Bingaman said.

Bingaman has not decided how he will vote on the bill, but a "yes" vote became more difficult when the Senate rejected one of his amendments Wednesday.

The bill requires guest workers to go home for a year after they have worked here two years. Then they can work another two years, leave for a year and then work again in the United States for a final two-year period.

Bingaman said that would be bad for employers and workers and would be difficult and costly for the government to enforce.

"It increases dramatically the likelihood that individuals are going to overstay their visas," he said.

Bingaman's amendment would have allowed guest workers to stay here for a straight six years.

Sen. Jon Kyl, the Arizona Republican who negotiated with Sen. Ted Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, over the provisions, was adamant that guest workers be forced to leave the country after two years.

"Temporary workers should not be allowed to put down roots," Kyl said.

Bingaman's proposal failed 41-57. Ten Democrats voted "no," including Kennedy.

Domenici voted against Bingaman's amendment, but he joined with Democrats to defeat several Republican amendments. One would have denied citizenship to any illegal immigrant who used illegal documents; another would have required those who receive the new "Z" visa to buy health insurance.

One reason Domenici voted against cutting off debate Thursday, he said, is that he is trying to get votes on two amendments of his own.

One would authorize 10 new permanent and temporary federal judgeships for southern border states to help handle the increased caseload as a result of immigration cases. New Mexico would get one permanent and one temporary judge.

Another would set aside one-quarter of the 200,000 guest workers for small businesses, Domenici's response to concerns he heard last week at a meeting organized by the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce.

Gene Baca, president of the New Mexico Chile Association, said he told Domenici he was worried that small businesses would be "squeezed out" by large businesses in the competition to hire guest workers.