President Barack Obama gestures while giving his State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday Feb. 12, 2013. AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is renewing his call for a comprehensive overhaul of the immigration system, telling Congress during his State of the Union address: “Now let’s get this done.”
He asked for a bill in the next few months and pledged to sign it “right away.”
Obama wants legislation that would create a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., among other steps.
Eight Republican and Democratic senators are working to complete a bill by next month.
An aide says the four Democratic senators in the group plan to update Obama on their progress during a meeting at the White House on Wednesday.