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GUESTS: Shannon Heuter, member of the Episcopal Church in San Diego, organizer with Immigrant March Coordinating Committee,

A group of Senate Republicans reached agreement last night on what’s being called a “compromise proposal” on immigration reform. Anti-immigrant senator Bill Frist has endorsed the compromise. The senators hope to garner bipartisan support for a path to legalization that put undocumented workers into three categories:

First, those who have lived in the US for at least five years would be put on a path toward guaranteed citizenship, provided that they remained employed, paid fines and back taxes, and learned English. According to a senior Republican aide this group accounted for about 7 million of the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants.

But those who have lived here for two to five years would have to leave the country briefly before reporting to an US port of entry, where they would be classified as temporary workers. They would be allowed to apply for citizenship but would have no guarantee of obtaining it.

The remaining workers who have lived in the country for less than two years, would be required to leave. They could apply for temporary worker status but would not be guaranteed it.

Whatever the Senate agrees to would have to be reconciled with the draconian anti-immigrant HR 4437 passed by the House last December.

San Diego activists are planning a massive march this weekend, in line with the many marches for immigrant rights throughout the country.

DETAILS OF THE MARCH:

When: Sunday, April 9th, 2006

Where: Meet at Balboa Park (Intersection of 6th and Laurel)

Specifics: Rally 1 pm, March 2pm

For more information, visit www.immigrantmarchsd.org