Illegal immigration has been a recurring issue in the political arena for a decade, with immigration laws still under discussion. Immigrating means entering a country where you are not from to reside there permanently. The United States is a nation founded by people who emigrated on the principle of liberty. What would our ancestors think if they could see the problems their nation faces today? There are many issues surrounding immigration policy, such as national security, border patrol, deportation, lack of jobs, and declining wages. The United States must adopt policies to further correct current legal and illegal immigration laws. President Obama addressed the DREAM Act at the State of the Union last month, urging lawmakers to approve the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act is legislation authored by both Republicans and Democrats that would give students raised in the United States a chance to contribute to the well-being of our country by serving in the United States armed forces or pursuing higher education . The DREAM Act was passed in December 2010 by the House of Representatives with a vote of 216 to 198, but in the Senate, the DREAM Act did not garner enough votes to break the Republican filibuster, with 55 votes. out of 60 (Stolz 16). Obama recently said, "We need five more years to reform a broken immigration system and ensure we are a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants" (Schwandt). Texas became the first state to allow undocumented students to attend Texas universities and be able to pay their tuition. The first group of students have graduated from college since the law was signed into law in 2001, although those students still cannot work because they are undocumented. Thus, the passage of the DREAM Act became... middle of document...... Facets of Effective Immigration Reform. " Society 47.2 (2010): 110-117. Academic Search Premier. Web. February 23. 2012. Hines, Barbara. “An Overview of United States Immigration Law and Policy Since September 11.” TexasHispanic Journal Of Law & Policy 12.1 (2006): 9-28, and James Ziglar “Fixing Immigration. (Cover story). -37. Academic Search Premier. Web. February 23, 2012. Stolz, Rich. “Lessons for the future of social immigration policy”. Kimberly. “President Obama is convinced he has five more years in the White House – Fox News Election Web, February 23.. 2012.