>> Currently it is considered a civil misdemeanor to work illegally in the US. Sensenbrenner wants it upgraded to a criminal offence, punishable by jail time

>> The immediate deportation of illegal immigrants and mandatory minimum jail sentences for immigrants reentering the US after being removed

>> The criminalisation of organisations and individuals assisting illegal immigrants . . . this could extend to churches, immigration centres, lawyers and family or friends of immigrants

>> The construction of 700 miles of security fencing at the southern border of the US

>> State-of-the-art surveillance technology, including cameras, sensors, radar, satellite and unmanned aerial vehicles covering the entire border

>> The implementation of a mandatory electronic veri"cation system to be used by all employers to ensure that the workers they hire are legal. Increased criminal penalties for knowingly hiring an illegal worker

>> No guest visa programme and no amnesty for the millions of illegal immigrants currently in the States

MCCAIN-KENNEDY

>> Anyone who was living in the US on the date of the bill's introduction, 12 May 2005, would be eligible to come forward and register with the Department of Homeland Security, pay a $1,000 fine, and go through a background check. After this, illegal immigrants would be eligible for a work permit

>> Immigrants would have to commit themselves to working for six years with their work permit, at the end of which they would have to produce evidence of having worked and paid taxes. They would then be eligible to apply for permanent residency

>> There would be a temporary worker programme for new workers to legally go to the US

>> More visas would be provided to eliminate the enormous backlog of cases currently awaiting action

>> The bill also includes border security provisions and employer sanction penalties for hiring illegal immigrants