U.S. President Obama will renew his push for immigration reform this year after the November election, using a speech Thursday to plead his case, aides said.
Obama met with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Tuesday to discuss a strategy for
passing a bill that was given up for dead earlier this year, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.
Obama on Thursday is expected to put the issue before the American public during a speech at
American University. Officials said he will present his reasons for providing a path to legal status for the estimated 11 million people living illegally in the United States while strengthening border enforcement.
During his daily briefing Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said immigration reform "continues to be a very important national issue" that needs Republican support. No Republican
senators have agreed to back such a bill nor has any legislation been introduced in the Senate.
The president had said he wanted to begin working on immigration reform this year, but not complete
a bill.
Latino lawmakers who have criticized the White House for neglecting immigration said they were
pleased with Tuesday's meeting and the president's plan to push for reforms.
Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, D-Ill., a member of the caucus that met with Obama, told the Tribune Obama
would "speak to the nation on Thursday and tell the country why it's important to have comprehensive immigration reform. That's something we've been demanding of this administration."