US Immigration Reforms: Supporters marched in Washigton.

As the U.S. Congress moves beyond the issue of health care, some lawmakers are pushing for an overhaul of the nation's immigration system. At the heart of the debate is a proposal to give legal status to millions of illegal immigrants living in the United States. The issue engenders strong feelings from both sides and recently tens of thousands of supporters of reform marched in Washington.

Tens of thousands of reform supporters marched in Washington. The US Congress is moved from the issue of health care and now the law makers are trying to overhaul the US Immigration policy. According to the sources, US President Mr. Obama is in favor of making illegal immigrants residing in the US. Walter Castro who marched in Washington recently came to the United States from El Salvador when he was seven years old. He joined many lending support to President Obama who supports immigration reform. Castro is in favor of making a legal path to citizenship for the estimated 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S.

"What I do want to see happen is that they get legalized, even if they have to pay back taxes and that they also have to pay penalty fees," said Castro. On the contrary, the strong opposition of Republican Lawmakers is creating roadblocks for the immigration reforms.

"We do not need to be importing a massive poverty stricken, poorly educated welfare class," said Dan Stein, President of the Federation for American Immigration Reform.  He strongly opposes any measure that grants amnesty for illegal immigrants. "Nobody should be talking about an amnesty program for two reasons. One, it encourages more people to come illegally. Two, it discourages people who might have gone back to their homeland from doing so," added Stein. According to the studies done on the flow of illegal immigrants coming from Mexico to the U.S., the numbers has slowed slightly. Analyst say it's due in part to the economic downturn, tougher border enforcement and an increase in workplace raids by police looking for illegal immigrants. But Immigration reform advocates maintain a legal path to citizenship for undocumented workers will help boost the U.S. economy. Eliseo Medina, is vice president of Service Employees International Union, the largest U.S. labor union of immigrant workers. "It is estimated that if we legalize the estimated 11 or 12 million [illegal immigrants] that they will lead to a growth in our [US] economy of $1.5 trillion and that is something that is good for everybody," noted Medina.