News In Brief
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O'Neill: immigration bill stalled by Hispanic stand
House Speaker Thomas (Tip) O'Neill said Tuesday that pending immigration legislation will not be brought up this year because of strong opposition from Hispanics.
Mr. O'Neill also said he has received mixed signals from the White House about whether President Reagan favors the bill or would veto it to curry favor with Hispanics.
The legislation would attempt to curb the flow of illegal immigrants into the US with fines and criminal penalties for employers knowingly hiring illegal aliens. The bill would offer legal status to illegal aliens who can prove they entered this country before an as-yet-unspecified date. O'Neill, meeting with reporters, repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with the way the administration is handling the matter.
