That's EXACTLY the case. In all likelyhood, the immigration bill that passes will be Cornyn-Kyl. McCain-Kennedy is to liberal for the house of representatives and Tancredo's bill is to conservative for the senate. Cornyn-Kyl is in the middle of those two.
It needs to be constantly borne in mind that Tancredo's bill is not "too conservative" for the American people. Get the message out to them, and the Senate can be dragged along kicking and screaming.
All I'm saying is that I think the Dems, media, and ethnic interest groups will portray the provision not allowing 'guests' to bring their families as some sort of nazi policy. The specific matter of the cost associated with bringing family members, as well as the more general principle that the program should exist to serve the interests of Americans and not foreigners, will be lost amid one media sob story after another about 'the family left behind.'
I can imagine the House standing firm, but not the Senate. I also have a hard time believing that Mr "family values don't stop at the Rio Grande" will go along either. Afterall, that wouldn't be 'compassionate conservatism.'