The Nation : Immigration Bill Debated

A House panel debating sweeping immigration reform legislation rejected a proposal that would have required federal agents to obtain search warrants before raiding open farm fields to check for illegal aliens. The Democratic-controlled Judiciary Committee also turned down a move to exempt small businessmen and homeowners from provisions in the bill that could subject them to hefty fines if they knowingly hired a worker--even a maid or a gardener--who was in the country unlawfully. The measure would offer amnesty to many persons here unlawfully but seek to deter new arrivals by imposing sanctions on employers who hire them.