Another step forward for US immigration reform as Obama embraces Senate plan

President Obama has made overhauling immigration a priority (Reuters)

President Obama's ambition to reform immigration law and give America's 11 million illegal immigrants the chance to gain citizenship took a step forward yesterday, as the President embraced a plan cobbled together by a bi-partisan group of senators.

You may have caught Amol's column on why immigration reform is so important - and the economic boost it could give the UK economy. Over at the Daily Beast, Howard Kurtz explores the political ramifications of this latest development for the Republican and Democratic parties.

"This may be a rare moment when the stars are aligned", says Kurtz. "What passes for the Republican establishment, including such figures as Karl Rove, is lining up behind the Senate plan."

The GOP drew precious little support from ethnic minorities ( 'minorities' is perhaps the wrong word) in the 2012 election. Support for immigration reform could be a sign of a changing mentality.