Senate Votes Against Alien Worker Searches

Despite public pressure to crack down on unlawful aliens, the Senate on Wednesday voted against letting federal agents enter open fields without warrants to look for illegal farm workers.

The House passed an immigration bill last month to double the number of border guards and bar illegal aliens from welfare and other benefits but rejected an effort to lower the ceiling on illegal immigrants.

The Senate began debate Wednesday on similar legislation, rejecting off the bat an amendment by Sen. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., to repeal a 1986 law prohibiting INS agents from walking into open fields and questioning farm workers about their eligibility for employment in the United States.