The U.S. House of Representatives has approved tough measures to limit illegal immigration, including plans to build an 1,100-kilometer fence along the Mexican border.
Representatives approved the bill by a vote of 239 to 182 on Friday. But they rejected a proposal from President Bush to include a guest worker program in the legislation, which must still be approved in the Senate.
In addition to the fence, the new measure would require U.S. employers to verify their workers are in the Untied States legally. The bill would increase fines for hiring illegal immigrants.
The Mexican government says the border fencing plan will not resolve the immigration problem between the two countries. Mexican presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar says immigration reform must address more than security and should include some sort of guest worker program.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
