Currently there is much political debate in the United States surrounding the issue of Immigration; both legal and illegal immigration. A large number of illegal immigrants reside in the U.S. Some sources estimate the population of illegal immigrants in the U.S. to number 12 million people. Although opinions vary regarding the impact on illegal immigration on issues such as the economy, and whether or not the large number of illegal immigrants makes it harder for U.S. citizens to find work, most agree that there are significant problems with the current immigration system in the United States. There have been several attempts to reform the U.S. immigration system, but so far it hasn’t enabled the immigration authorities to come to terms with the problem of illegal immigration; rather the problem continues to grow. Currently President Barack Obama is working toward a “comprehensive immigration reform” that includes tighter border security and stricter immigration enforcement, as well as a possibility for well behaving illegal immigrants to become legal residents and ultimately citizens of the United States. So far the president’s efforts to reform the U.S. immigration system has had little success as the political resistance, particularly from members of the Republican Party, has been too great. As Republicans were successful in the 2010 midterm elections, Obama’s chances of achieving comprehensive immigration reform are likely severely reduced.