Marco Rubio, 7 Senators Hammer Out Pathway to Legalization in Immigration Reform Deal

Four Republican and four Democratic senators, including Floridas Marco Rubio, who have been working on immigration reform legislation, are said to have come to an agreement on what has become one of the most sensitive components of the immigration overhaul how to deal with the millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S.

Aides with knowledge of the agreement transpiring behind closed doors told the L.A. Times the deal being written requires the nations 11 million illegal immigrants to register with the Department of Homeland Security, file federal income taxes for their time in the country and pay a fine.

Only those with a clean record would be granted probationary legal status, which would allow them to work in the U.S. but not receivefood stamps, Medicaid, unemployment insurance or other federal benefits.

Joining Rubio in the negotiations are fellow Republican colleagues -- Sens.John McCainof Arizona,Lindsey Grahamof South Carolina andJeff Flakeof Arizona.Democratic senators included in the bipartisan negotiations include Charles Schumerof New York,Richard Durbinof Illinois,Robert Menendezof New Jersey andMichael Bennetof Colorado.Draft legislation is expected to be ready in April.