President Barack Obama is announcing the steps he will take to protect millions of immigrants who are illegally in the country from deportation. The speech will air Thursday at 6pm on KRWG-TV and Radio and will stream live at www.krwg.org
In a video released on Facebook, Obama said he will make the announcement from the White House and then go to Las Vegas to promote the plan Friday.
Obama said everyone agrees that the immigration system is broken, but that Washington has let the problem "fester for too long."
He says he'll spell out things he can do as president "to make the system better" -- and that he'll also work with Congress toward as "bipartisan, comprehensive bill that can solve the entire problem."
As many as 5 million people in the country illegally would be made eligible for work permits. But officials say the eligible immigrants would not be entitled to federal benefits — including health care tax credits — under the plan.
Republicans are opposed to the president's likely actions, with some conservative members threatening to pursue a government shutdown if Obama follows through on his promises to act before the end of the year.
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