Debate begins today on immigration bill

WASHINGTON — Two Cabinet secretaries on Sunday promoted the White House's immigration deal with Congress and played down criticism that it would reward people who have entered the country illegally.

"It's not amnesty. They're going to have to pay a penalty," Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said. "They're going to have to wait in line. They're going to have to undergo a criminal background check."

The compromise legislation championed by an improbable pairing of liberal and conservative lawmakers must first get through the Senate. Debate was scheduled to start today as Congress entered the week leading into its Memorial Day vacation.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it could tie up the Senate for some time.

"It's got to go on for at least a couple of weeks to give everybody the opportunity in the Senate to feel like they've had their chance to offer amendments that they think would improve the bill," he said.

The bill would offer legal status to most of the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants while tightening borders.

But some conservatives have branded the proposal an "amnesty" program that would help people who crossed the border illegally. It also would mandate tougher workplace enforcement and provide for a guest-worker program.

"What we've done is we've come up with a solution that doesn't allow these people to jump the line in terms of getting a green card," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "Everybody who has been on line waiting patiently gets ahead of them. They have to pay a penalty, similar to what you pay if you commit a misdemeanor, which is what this is under the existing state of the law."

Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, the lead Democratic negotiator, said the bill would create "a tough but fair path to citizenship" for millions of immigrants.

"The bill isn't exactly the way I would have written it, but it is a strong compromise and the best chance we will have to finally fix this broken system," he said in a statement distributed to reporters. "The price of inaction is too high."

Prospects of such a plan in the House are uncertain.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is not happy with how the compromise would treat families. It would impose tighter rules for green-card eligibility for some relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. "We should try to fashion something that recognizes the reality of life," she said Sunday.

Illegal immigrants could seek a "Z visa" and get on track toward permanent residency after paying fees and a fine. Heads of households would have to return to their home countries first.

Chertoff and Gutierrez appeared on "Late Edition" on CNN. Pelosi and McConnell were on "This Week" on ABC.