President Obama makes immigration reform push

President Barack Obama has said the time has come for a sweeping overhaul of the US immigration system.

He made his case at a high school in Las Vegas, Nevada, a day after a bipartisan group of senators outlined a framework for reform.

The White House and senators envisage a path to citizenship for many of an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US.

The move reflects the growing influence of Hispanic voters.

In his opening remarks, Mr Obama said: "The time has come for common-sense, comprehensive immigration reform."

He noted that the current system was "out of date and badly broken".

The so-called gang of eight hope their blueprint could pass the Senate by summer.

While passage of such a bill is not assured in the Senate, it faces a tougher route in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

But many Republicans recognise their party's hard line on immigration has become a liability, after November's election when the Democratic president won more than 70% of the Latino vote.

Arizona Senator John McCain, the former Republican presidential candidate who lost to Mr Obama in 2008, said on Monday: "The Republican Party is losing the support of our Hispanic citizens."