President Urges Immigration Overhaul on 4th of July, Says Welcoming Immigrants "Central to Our Way of Life"

In honor of the Fourth of July holiday, President Obama is urging the nation to take immigration reform seriously, saying that welcoming immigrants to the United States is "central to our way of life."

 At a White House ceremony for 25 foreign-born men and women who gained American citizenship for their service in the U.S. military, President Obama spoke about the "broken immigration system" in the U.S., and urged the nation to push for an overhaul.

"We have to fix our immigration system, which is broken, and pass common-sense immigration reform," Obama said.

The President has struggled to get conservative Republicans in Congress to agree with proposed changes to immigration laws in recent weeks.

Concerns over the bills earning favor for Democrats with Latino candidates as well as provisions to grant legal status to immigrants who are already within U.S. borders have caused a staunch divide that has led the President to vow that he will make those changes alone, if necessary.

He has also vowed to send most of the undocumented immigrants in the nation home under proposed changes, a statement that has angered pro-immigration supporters. 

His words come at a crucial time for the nation, as southern Texas borders are being inundated with tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants families and children, many of whom are traveling alone. The influx has been labeled a humanitarian crisis, and is causing a staunch divide between pro and anti-immigration supporters.

Overcrowded detention centers in Texas have caused Border Patrol authorities to attempt the transport of detainees to facilities in California, but the moves have been met with opposition from both residents and leaders in the state. 

A bus full of undocumented immigrant children was blocked earlier this week as it attempted to make its way into Murietta, California. Angry protesters blocked roads, causing the bus to reroute to San Diego.

Flights filled with immigrants that were originally set to land in California have also been rerouted, with many of them landing in Houston, and they will be sent to other destinations from there.

The nation's division over opposing immigration views is what is driving the President's statements for reform on America's Independence Day. 

"The basic idea of welcoming immigrants to our shores is central to our way of life," Obama said. "It's in our DNA. ... We shouldn't be making it harder for the best and brightest to come here." 

During the White House ceremony Friday morning, 25 people were sworn in as citizens. The former immigrants came from 15 countries ranging from Australia to Guatemala to the Philippines to Ukraine.