"President Obama's leadership, and the bipartisan Senate group, which announced its reform principles yesterday, makes us hopeful that 2013 will be the year in which the United States finally builds a working immigration system."

Cecilia Muñoz, the Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council then held a conference call with the media to discuss the president's agenda further. Most reporters asked questions that addressed the president's current challenges in trying to convince Republicans and even some Democrats, who have historically fought against any type of citizenship pathway for people living in the U.S. illegally.

"Be very clear that he is eager to have the legislative debate start very soon and that he reserves the right to introduce legislation of his own, if this bipartisan gang of eight bogs down as it is preparing legislation," Muñoz said.

Muñoz also spoke of the support from other key members from Congress, including Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy, whose committee would have jurisdiction of immigration reform legislation.

"All of this points to a lot of momentum towards getting legislation out the door and into the process, hopefully within the next month to six weeks," Munoz said. "The president is going to continue to be vigorous in making sure that we follow an aggressive timeline."

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