President Obama today called for a "practical, common sense" immigration system that will help the U.S. economy and maintain America's immigrant tradition -- and he put the pressure on Republicans to get it through Congress.

"Reform that brings accountability to our immigration system cannot pass without Republican votes," Obama said in his first major immigration speech as president. "That is the political and mathematical reality."

Obama said his administration has taken record-setting actions to strengthen the border, and he urged Congress to approve "a pathway to legal status" for the 11 million or so illegal immigrants in the USA.

Immigration has become "a source of fresh contention" in recent days because of the new Arizona law that gives police greater authority to question people's citizenship, Obama said. His administration is likely to file a lawsuit against Arizona, but the president did not discuss potential legal action.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the first step on the immigration issue should be "to secure the borders" and Obama's pathway to citizenship amounts to "amnesty" for lawbreakers.

"The president can make progress on this issue, but it will take more than a speech," the top Senate Republican said. "If he would take amnesty off the table and make a real commitment to border and interior security, he will find strong bipartisan support."

Speaking to lawmakers, academics and community leaders gathered at American University, Obama touted his plan by stressing the immeasurable contributions that immigrants have made to the USA and the frequent discrimination they faced throughout history. "Immigrants have always helped to build and defend this country," Obama said.

The chances for congressional passage don't appear great. Like McConnell, congressional Republicans and some Democrats said the government should focus on better law enforcement before moving on to citizenship issues or guest worker programs. Lawmakers already grappling with new Wall Street regulations and an energy bill must also deal with congressional elections four months from tomorrow.

Obama said political posturing on an emotional issue has delayed congressional action. "Into this breach," he said, "states like Arizona have decided to take matters into their own hands."

Arizona's crackdown is understandable but "ill-conceived," Obama said, arguing that an immigration system requires a national approach rather than a "patchwork" of state laws that puts too much of a burden on local law enforcement.

"These laws also have the potential of violating the rights of innocent American citizens and legal residents," Obama said, "making them subject to possible stops or questioning because of what they look like or how they sound."

McConnell criticized Obama for his stand on the Arizona law, saying, "attacks on states filling the breach created by the failure of the federal government won't secure the border, grow jobs or create solutions for what we all agree is a broken immigration system."

Obama criticized both sides of the immigration debate.

Some rights groups all but encourage illegal immigration, Obama said, though at least 11 million people are in fact breaking the law by not going through the citizenship process and they should be held accountable.

As for critics of "amnesty," Obama said it's simply impossible to deport 11 million people. Doing so would disrupt communities and break up families, he said, as many undocumented immigrants have children who are U.S. citizens because they were born here.

The president said he has taken major steps to better protect the border, proclaiming -- twice -- that "we have more boots on the ground near the southwest border than at any time in our history."

As for his pathway to citizenship plan, Obama said it will help create "a younger workforce and a faster growing economy than many of our competitors," Obama said. "And in an increasingly interconnected world, the diversity of our country is a powerful advantage in global competition."

(Posted by David Jackson)