After months of debate, the U.S. Senate on Thursday passed an immigration reform bill which will grant millions of illegal immigrants U.S. citizenship on a conditional basis.

By a 62-36 vote, the bill claimed strong support from both parties and was regarded by some as the most sweeping immigration bill in two decades.

It is also a rare election-year triumph for U.S. President George W. Bush, who supported a guest worker program in the bill which will put many of the estimated 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants in the country on a path to become an American.

The bill allows illegal immigrants who have been in the country five years or more to remain, continue working and eventually become legal permanent residents and citizens after paying in fines and fees and back taxes and learning English.

It requires illegal immigrants in the U.S. between two and five years to go to a point of entry at the border and file an application to return.

For those in the country less than two years, they have to leave.

The bill also authorizes some 600 km of new triple-layered fencing plus 850 km of vehicle barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.

It requires employers and subcontractors to use an electronic system within 18 months to verify new hires are legal.

However, the Senate bill must be merged with a vastly different House bill which was passed last December and only calls for tough border security and enforcement measures.

It is unclear whether the Senate and the House will work out their differences on the issue before the November congressional elections.

Republican opponents said they would try to rewrite the bill.

Source: Xinhua