Senate working on immigration reform plan

WASHINGTON, May 12 (UPI) -- Washington lawmakers were meeting over the weekend trying to avoid a bipartisan stalemate on the issue of immigration reform.

The Los Angeles Times said Saturday that negotiators were making a last-ditch attempt to "forge a long-elusive compromise."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has set Wednesday as the deadline for a vote on whether the Senate will begin debate on immigration. The Times said that to push both sides toward the center, Reid has taken steps to use a bill that was penned by last year's GOP-controlled immigration committee as the basis for this year's debate.

Republicans argue that the bill is not nearly strict enough and have threatened to block any debate on the issue. They're asking Reid for more time to reach a bipartisan agreement.

Both sides agree there is a need for improved border security and have called for a "foolproof system to verify employees are legal," the Times said.