Here is a synopsis of the bill currently before Senate following the presidential address on immigration a few days back. As one who came here legally and at great expense both in buying a business and in legal and filing fees, I cannot express how I and other legal visa holders feel. Having done this the right way, seemingly I would have been better off doing it the wrong way and would have been rewarded for so doing with a green card and citizenship.

Senate bill:

_Allows illegal immigrants who have been in the country five years or more to remain, continue working and eventually become legal permanent residents and citizens after paying fines, back taxes and learning English.

_Requires illegal immigrants in the U.S. between two and five years to go to a point of entry at the border and file an application to return.

_Requires those in the country less than two years to leave.

_Illegal immigrants convicted of a felony or three misdemeanors would be deported no matter how long they have been in the U.S.

_Creates a special guest worker program for an estimated 1.5 million immigrant farm workers, who could also earn legal permanent residency.

_Provides 200,000 new temporary 'guest worker' visas a year.

_Authorizes 370 miles of new triple-layered fencing plus 500 miles of vehicle barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.

_Authorizes hiring an additional 1,000 Border Patrol agents this year, for a total additional 3,000 agents this year.

_Adds another 14,000 Border Patrol agents by 2011 to the current force of 11,300 agents.

_Authorizes additional detention facilities for apprehended illegal immigrants.

_Requires employers and subcontractors to use an electronic system within 18 months to verify new hires are legal. Increases maximum fines to employers for hiring illegal workers to $20,000 for each worker and imposes jail time for repeat offenders.

_Delays by 17 months, until June 1, 2009, a requirement now in law that Americans re-entering the U.S. after cruises or short visits to Canada and Mexico show a passport or high-tech identification card.