It's passed the House and will most likely pass the Senate with very few changes. If it does, it will be hell on immigrants. Imagine, overstaying one's visa would be a felony!

www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS...index.html

The bill makes unlawful presence in the United States, currently a civil offense, a felony.

An amendment to reduce the crime from a felony to a misdemeanor was defeated, with many Democrats voting against the proposal in protest over subjecting people who have overstayed their visas to any criminal charges.


By making it a crime to be present in the country illegally, said the National Immigration Forum, foreign students who drop a class or high-tech workers who lose jobs and take too long to find a new employer would be subject to arrest.