President Barack Obama has unveiled the biggest changes to the US immigration system in decades, removing the threat of deportation hanging over nearly 5m people but intensifying a fierce battle with Republicans over the limits of his power.
In a high-profile televised address, Mr Obama appealed directly to America’s history as a nation of immigrants, saying allowing unauthorised immigrants with long-term ties to the US to “come out of the shadows and get right with the law” was part of the American ideal.
“For all the back-and-forth of Washington, we have to remember that this debate is about something bigger. It’s about who we are as a country, and who we want to be for future generations,” the president said.