According to USA Today, the White House wants to start up on “immigration reform” as soon as they get past the fiscal cliff that stands in their way at present. According to reports, President Obama says that 2013 will be a year of “comprehensive immigration reform” for the nation. He is already working about a bill that combines tighter border securities with a pathway to citizenship for those illegal immigrants who are already in the United States. While it seems President Obama does not want to invite untold amounts of immigrants into the United States, he also does not want to deport those who managed to make it across the border.

President Obama has promised a lot of changes for illegal immigrants in America, which is in part the reason that he won the reelection. According to information from the Electoral College, Mitt Romney only received a little less than 30 percent of the Hispanic vote. This may be because of his less enthusiastic attitude towards immigrants and his desire to keep immigrants from becoming naturalized citizens. Some members of Congress including Republicans are currently looking to improve the GOP’s standing with Hispanic voters so that in the next election they might stand a better chance. Because of this, they are considering putting together some immigration legislation for the next year.

Already congressional lawmakers have assembled a “Gang of Eight” that is looking at the current immigration laws and seeing where they can improve. This special committee is already drafting suggestions to improve the immigration situation and gain favor with Hispanic voters. This assembly group includes some of the key players in immigration reform. Senator Chuck Schumer and Senator Lindsey Graham are a part of the board. They hope to have principles on immigration in place by early next year and they hope that they will have final passage by June.

At present, governmental authorities are deciding whether or not they should create a passage that can bring the 11 million immigrants in the United States to citizenship. There are also suggestions to put these immigrants on a path that leads them near to immigration but does not give them this express right. According to The Wall Street Journal, many Democrats are pushing for citizenship for all immigrants, while Republicans are taking a more conservative approach on the issue. Republicans are suggesting an alternative plan where immigrants have the right to renew their visas over and over again and essentially live in the United States their entire lives without being arrested or deported.

While these immigration issues are currently being debated and discussed within the United States, there has not yet been too much action towards carrying them out. Some Republicans say that they could support immigration citizenship but only if those who are affected wait in line behind those who tried to come to the United States legally and were turned away. Many Republicans believe that those who have been denied visas or membership into the country deserve to be welcomed before those who snuck in legally.

With a citizenship pathway looming in the future as a possibility, the President says that he will tighten border controls to keep illegal immigrants from sneaking into the country to receive a citizenship. This means that there may be many more deportations and arrests in the near future. If you are an immigrant and are dealing with complications regarding your visa, then you may need to hire an immigration attorney. Whether you have been denied entrance into the United States or are not at risk of being deported, talk to a local immigration attorney for help!