WASHINGTON — Because of opposition by fellow Republicans, Sen. Orrin Hatch had to delay a bill he is pushing to allow illegal aliens to receive federal grants and loans for college — and to ensure states may give them instate tuition rates.

Hatch, R-Utah, had hoped to pass it Thursday through the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chairs. But its weekly business meeting ran out of time amid long speeches by Republican opponents who say it will encourage more illegal immigration.

"It sends the message that America has immigration laws, but we don't intend to enforce them," complained Sen. Jeff Sessions, D-Ala. "It says that if you get away with it (illegal immigration) for a while, we will not only not punish you — we will reward you."

Sessions and three other Republicans, who are all normally Hatch's allies, have floated more than two dozen proposed amendments to the bill to try to weaken or kill it. Hatch suspended debate for a week to allow review of the amendments to see if opposing sides could find a compromise.

Hatch's bill — the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act —allows illegal aliens who entered the country before age 16, and at least five years before the bill is enacted, to qualify for federal college aid. It clarifies that states may give them instate tuition (which Utah already offers).

It also temporarily bans the deportation of young aliens, and gives them six years to earn permanent resident status by either attending college for at least two years, serving in the military or performing community service.

"Many of them came to this country with their parents as small children and have been raised here just like their U.S. citizen classmates," Hatch said. "They did not make the initial decision to enter the United States illegally."

He added, "We have a choice to either keep these talented young people underground or give them a chance to contribute to the United States." Hatch said it also will not encourage more illegal immigration because it applies only to those who were in the country at least five years before the bill passes.

Sessions said it still sends the wrong message, and will encourage more to immigrate illegally. "It will be seen as a statement by us that we will do this again and again," and he noted that illegal immigration has doubled since other supposedly one-time-only amnesty was approved in the early 1990s.

"The first step to end abuse of immigration laws is to end benefits for those who enter illegally," Sessions said.

Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., complained illegal aliens would enjoy instate tuition — which U.S. citizens from other states could not enjoy.

"It's a big deal when you deny citizens of other states what you give to illegal aliens. It will create enormous ill will," Kyl said.

Sessions said the change could make an estimated 58,000 illegal aliens eligible for $632 million of federal college grants — but funding for such programs is already stretched thin. "Where are we going to get the money?" he asked.

Sessions, Kyl and Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., suggested straightforward immigration reform instead of Hatch's bill. Hatch has four other committee Republicans as co-sponsors, plus six Democrats.

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