Immigration ProtestMore than 11 million illegal immigrants live
in the United States. As a result, immigration reform is a
controversial topic that arouses heated emotions. Although the
federal government is primarily responsible for passing and
enforcing immigration laws, state governments have become
increasingly active. Demands for immigration reform have
intensified over the past few decades.  The U.S.-Mexican Border
Is Difficult to Seal  The United States has already built a
border fence, separated into several sections, that covers about
15 percent of the length of the Mexican border. Some have
proposed expanding the fence to include the entire length of the
border, which would make it about half as long as the Great Wall
of China.While most Americans support this plan, critics say
that such a move would be expensive and ineffective. Other
proposals, contained in the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act
(CIRA), include dramatically increasing the size and
sophistication of the U.S. Customs and Border Pr