The US Senate passed a landmark immigration reform bill with a rare bipartisan majority of 62-38, combining enhanced border security measures with a pathway to legal status for millions of undocumented immigrants who have lived in the country for over a decade.
The bill allocates $28 billion for new border infrastructure and technology, expands the number of annual work visas for skilled workers, and creates a 10-year pathway to permanent residency for approximately 8 million people who entered the US before the age of 18 and have maintained clean records.
The House is expected to take up the measure this week, where its passage is less certain. Conservative members have signaled opposition to the legal status provisions, while progressives remain skeptical about the border security measures.