Senate panel approves immigration bill

The panel's vote cleared the way for the full Senate to begin debate on Tuesday on the emotional immigration issue.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved election-year immigration legislation that clears the way for millions of undocumented workers to seek US citizenship without first having to leave the country.

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After days of street demonstrations that stretched from California to the grounds of the US Capitol, the committee also voted on Monday to strip out proposed criminal penalties for residents found to be in the United States illegally.

The panel's vote cleared the way for the full Senate to begin debate on Tuesday on the emotional immigration issue.