US President calls for immigration system reform

President Barack Obama has called for broad reform of the US immigration system, while highlighting steps he has taken to strengthen border security.{{more}}

In Texas, Mr Obama backed a path to legal status for illegal immigrants, as well as crackdowns on employers who hire illegal workers.

He called on Congress to reject “the usual Washington games” and enact a comprehensive overhaul.

An estimated 11m illegal immigrants, most of them Hispanic, live in the US.

In El Paso, a Texas border city, Mr Obama said he had satisfied calls from conservatives to tighten security at the border and to increase deportations of illegal immigrants.

He called on Congress to reform the immigration system in a manner that would encourage skilled and motivated immigrants to participate in American society while ending what he called an underground economy that preys on low-wage illegal immigrants.