As advocates pray, Senate committee passes bill they may support

Published: 2006-03-28

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- With Korean drums and cymbals keeping rhythm, a thousand or more people chanted in Spanish, "Si, se puede," or "Yes, we can," as several hundred clergy participated in an interfaith prayer service March 27, asking for God's guidance on Senate deliberations on immigration legislation. The Senate Judiciary Committee answered most of the prayers, for the time being, anyway. The committee voted 12-6 to send the full Senate a bill that would give the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants in the country a chance to legalize their status and would provide 1.5 million temporary visas to agricultural workers in a new guest worker program. Another 400,000 "green cards" or permanent resident visas would be available to people in various industries. The bill would double the size of the Border Patrol and provide more funds for high-tech equipment to monitor the border. The Senate began debate on the bill the next day. Floor discussion was expected to take two weeks before the Senate votes.

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