Reid, originally uploaded by Oscar H Matatquin.

I received the following note this evening from a Senate Republican leadership aide that confirms my earlier report about a looming amnesty deal. The new agreement between Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R.-Ky.) would give senators time to review the legislation before it’s voted on. However, it would not give them a week, as 15 conservative senators previously requested.

This evening the Majority Leader and Republican Leader agreed to delay the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S.1348, last years (sic) Senate passed immigration bill, until the evening of Monday, May 21st (no earlier than 5:30 p.m.).

This will allow negotiators more time to reach an agreement and to allow time for an agreement to be drafted. It will also allow Senators time to review the text of the agreement before the cloture vote on the motion to proceed on Monday occurs.

Negotiations will continue tomorrow.

Stories from the Associated Press and Reuters also make clear that Reid and key Senate Republicans — Arlen Specter (Pa.) and Jon Kyl (Ariz.) — could soon reach an agreement that “would legalize the status of millions of illegal immigrants and put them on a path to citizenship.”

Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.), who has tried to carefully maneuver around the issue, said during tonight’s Republican presidential debate that an agreement is near. McCain, who sponsored last year’s bill with Sen. Teddy Kennedy (D.-Mass.), has charged Sen. Lindsey Graham (R.-S.C.) with overseeing negotiations. Graham was in Washington today despite the debate’s taking place in Columbia, S.C.