“Prospects for congressional passage of a U.S. immigration overhaul looked bleak on Friday, but some House Republicans signaled they would offer a way for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in the country to get legal status that could be portrayed as something other than a pathway to citizenship. … Representative Spencer Bachus of Alabama, a member of the House Judiciary Committee that has been writing more limited immigration bills, has become an outspoken advocate of ending the deportation fears of these 11 million people.  “A path to citizenship is not popular in Alabama. However, I have stated – against public opinion in my state – that I am for a path to citizenship because I don’t believe in second-class citizens,” Bachus told Reuters.  He added, “If you don’t have a pathway to citizenship, you create an underclass.””