The Nation - News from Oct. 8, 1987

The Senate rejected a move that would have allowed spouses and children who are ineligible for legal residency under the new immigration law to remain with immigrants who do qualify. By a 55-45 margin, the Senate voted to table an amendment to the State Department authorization bill by Sen. John H. Chafee (R-R.I.) that would have allowed ineligible spouses and children to remain with a qualifying spouse if they resided in the country when the law became effective. Chafee said he wanted to correct a “flaw” in the law--”its failure to take into account the unity of families.”