Senator outlines obstacles to immigration deal

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., right, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., left, join a bipartisan group of leading senators announce that they have reached agreement on the principles of sweeping legislation to rewrite the nation's immigration laws, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. The deal covers border security, guest workers and employer verification, as well as a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in this country. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., right, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., left, join a bipartisan group of leading senators announce that they have reached agreement on the principles of sweeping legislation to rewrite the nation's immigration laws, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. The deal covers border security, guest workers and employer verification, as well as a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in this country. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON — A key Democratic senator says a deal on reforming immigration could stall over how to define border security and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, a leader in bipartisan negotiations, says another major obstacle is reaching agreement on a guest worker program — something business wants and organized labor has concerns about.

Schumer and the other seven senators who proposed an immigration bill blueprint this week want assurances on border security before a path to citizenship can begin. Republicans say they can't support a bill without that.

The Senate working group has been meeting this week to discuss how to define border security. Schumer says lawmakers envision allowing the Homeland Security secretary final say on whether border security criteria have been met.

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