By Jorge Calvillo (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Apr 18, 2014 11:31 PM EDT

President Obama made a call to the leaders of the House of Representatives to approve immigration reform this year, assuring that Republican leaders have blocked negotiations to reach a path to improve the conditions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

In a press conference on Thursday, April 17 at the White House, Barack Obama said that the Republicans know that acknowledge the need to approve reform, adding that the leaders of the House of Representatives have blocked reform with their radical postures which prevent progress, according to Reuters.

After meeting on Wednesday with majority leader Eric Cantor to speak on immigration, President Obama expressed his worry because he doesn't know how to discuss immigration with Congress to promote the approval of a bipartisan project that would favor the economy, improve security and provide tranquility for families living in the country illegally.

"What I told him in private... is something I've said publicly, which is that there's bipartisan support for integral immigration reform," said Obama. "It would strengthen our economy, help with our security, and provide relief for families, many of which have lived her for years and have children who are American citizens. Congress must act."

Obama's struggle to approve immigration reform was blocked after the Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, refused to approve the S744 law project approved by the Senate last year. Boehner has said he's in favor of a gradual change in immigration law, but said that there's aspects which require further analysis such as border security and establishing measures to prevent a larger flow of immigrants to the country, and how Americans would be affected in the job market.

However, Congress is under pressure not only from Obama, but by a series of organizations who have protested in favor of immigration reform.

In recent months, after the Senate approved the S744 project, which defines a viable way towards citizenship for 11 million immigrants in the country and establishing border security measures, business groups comprised of large groups such as IBM and Facebook have requested Congress to approve the reform, also supported by religious leaders who have expressed themselves against the deportations which have split up thousands of families in the country.

© 2015 Latinos Post. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.