The Crypt's Blog - Politico.com Immigration. Again.

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) said he's floating a plan that would grant legal status to the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants, but offer no path to citizenship.

"It might be the equivalent of a green card," Specter said Thursday. "The main thrust is to bring the 12 million out of the shadows," and eliminate the fear of arrest or deportation.

Specter said conservatives who last month derailed a comprehensive immigration bill might accept his plan because it would not allow the 12 million to seek citizenship status.

Of course, one reason conservatives, which means in this case means actual Republicans, were opposed to a path to citizenship for illegals was that all those new citizens will vote Democratic for the next two hundred years.