Immigration is a hot topic

Immigration has been a hot topic in the United States recently, and that means that there's something new happening nearly every day. Politicians, lobbyists, social justice organizations, religious leaders, and many other factions across the U.S. are calling for immigration reform-but everyone seems to have a different idea about what effective reform would look like. Some want to crack down on illegal immigrants and step up deportation, while others want to make it easier for those already living in this country to remain here legally.

That means that new legislation is being suggested, proposed, and debated on a regular basis. Political organizations and everyday citizens across the country with strong feelings on the issues write newspaper editorials, make speeches, and organize rallies that are sometimes tens of thousands of people strong.

Although the issue has been thrust into the public eye over the past year, radical changes were occurring long before public attention turned to immigration, naturalization and deportation issues. Significant changes in immigration law in 2002 brought many proceedings previously administered by Immigration and Naturalization Services under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security.

Now, it seems inevitable that further changes, and potentially more dramatic ones, lie ahead.