President Barack Obama announced this week that he would be fully tackling the issue of immigration reform as early as next month. Critics were quick to point out that the president might be biting off more than he can chew by adding immigration to the long list of problems he has now promised to address. Nevertheless, we believe that immigration reform is a very important issue that deserves attention now, and thus ObamaâÄôs announcement comes at the exact right time. Immigration law is in dire need of a total policy overhaul. With conservative estimates of 12 million people living illegally within our borders, American society faces several problems. Illegal laborers tend to accept lower wages and zero benefits and are often reluctant to report abuse or maltreatment. The federal government is losing billions in potential tax revenue from these workers. The solution, according to the president, would be to offer a path of legal residency to illegal immigrants currently living in the United States. The logic behind this solution is fundamentally sound and reasonable. It would be unfeasible, expensive and unproductive to launch a campaign to hunt down illegal immigrants and deport them. The plan wisely includes stricter penalties for future illegal immigrants and a bolstering of all immigration enforcements. The borders would also become more tightly monitored. We hope to see the Dream Act passed soon. The Dream Act would allow the children of illegal immigrants to take advantage of federal funds to pursue higher education âÄî an obvious step in the right direction for the integration of illegal immigrants into American society. We should also seize upon this opportunity to raise the cap on H-1B visas to attract highly skilled laborers who would help bolster the American economy. America has always been a country of hope, equality and dreams. ObamaâÄôs immigration plan seeks to preserve this image and at the same time strengthen our country. This editorial, accessed via UWire, was originally published in the Harvard Crimson at Harvard University. Please send comments to [email protected].