The border security amendment cleared a procedural hurdle by a 67-27 vote. This amendment is seen as key to the passage of a bill supported by President Obama.
This bill would grant legal status to millions of undocumented foreigners who also would be put on a 13-year path to citizenship.
Last week, a small group of senators reached a deal on strengthening border security requirements of the bill by authorizing the hiring of 20,000 more law enforcement agents over the next 10 years and buying high-tech equipment to help stop illegal crossings at the U.S. border with Mexico. —Reuters