As the full Senate prepares to hold its first procedural vote on comprehensive immigration reform legislation, President Barack Obama offered his support for the bill and urged Congress to act by the end of the summer.
In remarks in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday, Obama cited his administration's efforts to improve border security as well as the adoption of a policy that halts the deportation of certain illegal immigrants that were brought the country as children.
"So my administration has done what we can on our own," Obama said. "And we've got members of my administration here who've done outstanding work over the past few years to try to close up some of the gaps that exist in the system."
"But the system is still broken. And to truly deal with this issue, Congress needs to act," he added. "And that moment is now."
Obama described the legislation being considered by the Senate as a common-sense, bipartisan bill that is the best chance in years to fix the immigration system.
"It will build on what we've done and continue to strengthen our borders," Obama said. "It will make sure that businesses and workers are all playing by the same set of rules, and it includes tough penalties for those who don't."
"It's fair for middle-class families, by making sure that those who are brought into the system pay their fair share in taxes and for services. And it's fair for those who try to immigrate legally by stopping those who try to skip the line," he added. "It's the right thing to do."
Obama acknowledged that the bill is not perfect and said no one will get everything they want but argued that the legislation is largely consistent with the principles that he laid out for common-sense reform.
The Senate bill, which was crafted by a bipartisan group of eight senators known as the "Gang of Eight," would provide a way for undocumented immigrants to apply for legalization and eventually citizenship but only after the southern border is secured.
The legislation would also increase the cap on visas for high-skilled workers and establish a new visa program for low-skilled workers.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13 to 5 in favor of the bill last month, with three Republicans joining with the panel's ten Democrats in voting to support the legislation.
Tuesday afternoon, the Senate is scheduled to hold a vote to begin debate on the legislation. While the vote is expected to pass, final approval of the bill remains far from certain.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ken., said he would vote to begin debate on the bill but argued that the legislation will need major changes if it's going to become law.
"These include, but are not limited to, the areas of border security, government benefits, and taxes," McConnell said in remarks on the Senate floor.
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