Obama and Hispanic Caucus meet on immigration reform

The president declared immigration his "top legislative priority” during a meeting with seven members of Congress including Representative Linda Sánchez, whose district includes Whittier, Montebello and Lakewood.

Sánchez has spent more than a decade urging reform legislation.

In a statement, she said, “I am pleased that President Obama is making the Congressional Hispanic Caucus an integral part in finding common sense solutions to our broken immigration system.”

The meeting didn’t address details about a bill. But Sánchez said those present agreed and understood that the reform process will need to move quickly, with fast progress on a bill from the US Senate or House to be expected this Spring.

The White House also says that President Obama plans to travel next week to Nevada for an address on immigration reform Tuesday. In a statement, the White House press secretary's office said the president aims "to redouble the administration's efforts to work with Congress to fix the broken immigration system this year."