The immigration/amnesty bill has been dealt a crushing blow.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A deal on granting legal status to 12 million illegal immigrants collapsed amid partisan rancor in the US Senate on Thursday, dealing a sharp blow to President George W. Bush.

The Senate’s Democratic leader Harry Reid withdrew the landmark and controversial measure after members voted for the second time in the day not to move it towards a final vote.

After tense hours of brinkmanship between Republicans and Democrats, only 45 members of the 100-seat Senate voted to limit further debate on the measure, 15 short of the total needed for it to proceed. Fifty senators voted against.