Illegal Immigrants: Immigration Reform, Citizenship, and DeportationIntroductionThe United States has experienced a gradual increase in the number of illegal immigrants crossing its borders in over the last fifteen years. According to a 2013 report from the Pew Research Center, nearly twelve million undocumented immigrants lived in the United States in 2012. (Gomez, A.) According to William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution, immigration is "beginning to take of magnitude.” It has a greater impact on more states, while still having a very significant impact on traditional immigration hubs such as California” (Haya El, N. and Kiely, K.). There are several schools of thought on the issue, but two seem to stand out in our nation's ongoing efforts to find a solution to illegal immigrants entering the country and those already living in the country, many of whom are here for several years and have had children born as US citizens. The pro-reformists On one side are those, like Vice President Joe Biden and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who strongly and openly favor passage of the immigration reform bill that would, among other things, grant immediate citizenship to eligible illegal immigrants already in the country. country. Biden's strongest argument for the bill may very well be that "...America is losing thousands of engineers and scientists who are earning doctorates at American universities [but who can't work because 'they have no legal status]' (Fischer, S.) Anti-reformistsIn the opposite corner are those who believe that all illegal immigrants should be deported and that the country's borders should be more secure. These individuals claim that allowing immigrants to enter the country illegally, leaving middle of paper ...... solving the problem within and fortifying the country's borders will help ensure that our country remains safe and prosperous . QuotedCarter, Sara. “Study finds nearly 70,000 criminal illegal aliens released into U.S.” The Blaze. Mercury Radio Arts, March 31, 2014. Web. April 3, 2014.Fischer, Sara. "Biden: Undocumented Immigrants Are Already US Citizens"" CNN RSS Political Ticker. Cable News Network, March 27, 2014. Web. April 03, 2014. Gomez, Alana and TODAY USA. "Illegal immigration could increase." USA Today nd: Academic Research Completed April 3, 2014. Haya El, Nasser and Kiely, Kathy. nearly half do..." USA Today nd: Academic Search Complete. Internet. April 3, 2014. Rubin, Jennifer. “Social Conservatives and Immigration Reform.” The Washington Post. Washington Post, 31 March 2014. Web April 3.. 2014.