U.S. President Barack Obama is trying to provide fresh momentum to efforts on immigration reform.
Obama called Monday for lawmakers to introduce legislation next month, saying the time has come to fix the immigration system once and for all.
"We are making progress but we've got to finish the job. This problem is not new. Everyone pretty much knows what's broken. Everybody knows how to fix it."
The president spoke at a White House naturalization ceremony for 28 new U.S. citizens, including 13 active-duty military service members.
A group of eight Democratic and Republican senators outlined a plan for sweeping immigration reform in January, but some details of the plan have yet to be worked out.
Obama was joined by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas.
There are more than 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
Obama has made immigration reform a priority for his second term. He has been advocating for a comprehensive approach that combines improved border security with a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the country.
Obama called Monday for lawmakers to introduce legislation next month, saying the time has come to fix the immigration system once and for all.
"We are making progress but we've got to finish the job. This problem is not new. Everyone pretty much knows what's broken. Everybody knows how to fix it."
The president spoke at a White House naturalization ceremony for 28 new U.S. citizens, including 13 active-duty military service members.
A group of eight Democratic and Republican senators outlined a plan for sweeping immigration reform in January, but some details of the plan have yet to be worked out.
Obama was joined by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas.
There are more than 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
Obama has made immigration reform a priority for his second term. He has been advocating for a comprehensive approach that combines improved border security with a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the country.
