U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the National Governors Association meeting at the White House in Washington, U.S. February 27, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is considering introducing legislation to provide a pathway to legal status, but not immediately to citizenship, for illegal immigrants in the United States, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing a senior White House official.

CNN said the president thinks a comprehensive immigration bill that would allow illegal immigrants to hold a job and require them to pay taxes has a chance of clearing Congress, and it said Trump may refer to the idea of legislation in a speech on Tuesday night.