People across the borderland will be watching President Barack Obama in his first State of the Union address on Tuesday since being re-elected.

Obama is expected to lay down his new agenda. Newly elected U.S. Rep. Pete Gallego will be at the address tonight and he is bringing Fort Bliss Capt. Joshua Leone as his guest.

Gallego says he expects to hear a lot from the president tonight about our servicemen and women in the Middle East.

"Those are folks who have come to our country and have really stepped up to the plate when we needed them," said Gallego, "They came and helped when we asked so we have to return that favor and we have to be there for them."

Gallego also hopes president Obama talks about helping small businesses, saying they are the economic engine of El Paso.

The White House says the president's speech will focus on economic growth, and finding a way to fix the deficit.

Some in the borderland wonder if this will be the year the president pushes for immigration.

"He has to try different things. If it works, it works," said Tony Bardales,

Born and raised in El Paso, Bardales has seen El Paso's expansion first hand. Taxes and the possibility of raising them are also at the top of his concerns.

"Not the best way for some people, some families," said Bardales

Immigration reform has gained increased support from both sides of the aisle, an issue El Pasoan Jonathan Martal supports as well.

"They can't just close the border expecting people not to come," said Martal, who's also worried about security at the border.

"We should change the way the border system works. I mean, you see how the traffic gets in and out," said Martal
Martal says he has an idea on how to fix that problem.

"I guess one way to clean that up is to hire more personnel, more border patrol," said Martal.

This will be President Obama's first State of the Union address since starting his second term.

The White House says the president's speech will focus more on proposals to boost the economy and keep the middle class from falling behind.

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