? An Irish rights group is pushing for a bill that would give all illegal immigrants the right to pay a fine and work for their citizenship.

The Irish Lobby For Immigration Reform (ILIR) wants the U.S. Senate to pass the Kennedy-McCain Bill. It guarantees legal status for undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States as of May 2005. To qualify for citizenship, those immigrants would have to come forward, pay a $1,000 fine and work for six years. ILIR organizer Georgina Brennan says the bill is important because it would allow many Bronx immigrants to continue to contribute to the borough?s economy without living in fear of being deported.

The bill has until March 27 to go through a Senate subcommittee, then it would go to the Senate floor for a vote.

Related link:The Irish Lobby For Immigration Reform