(Update Oct. 1, 2007) The U.S. Senate is was expected to vote this week on an immigration measure that would give tens of thousands of undocumented kids a chance at legalization, but the bill has died in the Senate for the time being, although Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vows to get the measure through the chamber by mid-November.

The legislation, known as the Dream Act -- Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors -- would give high school graduates, who arrived in the United States illegally before age 15, and who have lived in the U.S. at least five years, eligibility for conditional legal status, provided they attend two years of college or serve two years in the military.

The Dream Act is controversial because opponents say it rewards illegal behavior. Opponents also argue that attaching the bill to the defense department is a ploy to pull young adults into combat situations for which they wouldn't otherwise have volunteered. Supporters say it provides educational opportunities for children who did not choose to enter the U.S. illegally.

What do you think?

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A statue of former San Diego mayor Pete Wilson won't be unveiled in Horton Square for another week, but already the debates are heating up and controversy is stirring over whether or not Wilson deserves the honor.

The 200-plus people who donated funds for the statue say Pete Wilson should be honored because he's the visionary mayor who jump-started the revitalization of downtown. Immigrant rights activists are lashing out over the plans and say the statue is insensitive because of Wilson's immigration record, and his support for Proposition 187. (Here you can see video of Enrique Morones speaking out against the statue at a San Diego City Council Meeting.)

What would a statue of Pete Wilson downtown mean to you?

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Family members are desperately searching for 29-year-old Pedro Guzman, who they say is a mentally-disabled U.S. citizen, wrongfully deported to Tijuana more than a month ago. Fearing the worst, Guzman's mother and brother have diligently searched Tijuana shelters, jails, hospitals and morgues, but to no avail. They've received very little help from the U.S. government - only a few phone calls from the U.S. consulate in Tijuana -- and last week a federal judge declined to order the U.S. government to help in the search.

The ACLU has filed a lawsuit stating that Guzman was serving a 120-day sentence in a Los Angeles jail on a misdemeanor trespassing violation when he was questioned about his immigration status. According to the Associated Press, the suit claims Guzman responded that he was born in California, but the L.A. Sheriff's Department identified him as a non-citizen, obtained his signature for voluntary removal from the U.S. and turned him over to Homeland Security for deportation.

The ACLU claims they have possession of Guzman's birth certificate showing he was born at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. Mark Rosenbaum of the ACLU of Southern California said, "Local jail officials and federal immigration officers deported the un-deportable, a United States citizen, based on appearance, prejudice, and reckless failure to apply fair legal procedures."

The story sheds light on the challenges facing law enforcement and immigration authorities in avoiding racial profiling and sensitively handling cases involving mentally challenged people; and balancing tougher immigration laws with individual civil liberties.

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In his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, President Bush addressed troop increases in Iraq as well as domestic issues like health care, immigration and alternative energy.

What did you think of the speech? Will an increase in troops stabilize Iraq? What did you think about his focus on domestic issues?

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In October, the Escondido City Council passed a controversial ordinance to address illegal immigration by requiring landlords to evict tenants without valid immigration papers. If landlords don't comply, they can be fined, lose their business license, or face misdemeanor charges that could include jail time. What if you were an Escondido landlord facing complaints about your tenants? What would you do?

Welcome to Current, a community conversation. Every week, Current will present a new question and give readers the opportunity to answer. This week, to kick-start the conversation, KPBS invited three panelists to respond to the question, ""What role do you think national security should play in the debate over immigration reform?" We hope you'll take a look at their ideas and give us yours, too.