Up to 50,000 illegal Irish immigrants have been given the first sign of hope of being able to apply for citizenship in the US.

Landmark immigrant legislation passed through the Senate last night, which will give almost 11-million undocumented people the chance to apply for legal status.

The Bill passed last night by a vote of 68 - 32 and will now need to go through the House of Representatives before being enacted.

It requires immigrants to pass background checks, pay fees, fines and back taxes, learn English, and gain employment.