Just over a week before tens of thousands of people were expected in Washington for a rally in support of immigration reform, President Barack Obama told grass-roots and faith leaders that he remains firmly committed to passing legislation this year.

Esperanza, a Hispanic faith-based network, plans to launch a grassroots campaign in South Florida and other parts of the country on Tuesday to push for comprehensive immigration reform this year.

The national mobilization expected to attract some 100,000 people to Washington on Sunday will show an immigrant community fed up with unkept promises and with a Congress incapable of passing a comprehensive immigration reform.

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina put the onus on the Obama administration Tuesday to put together a proposal for comprehensive immigration reform, “and see if they can sell it” to skittish lawmakers.

Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman (R) told a largely Latino audience in November that she supports "comprehensive immigration reform."

House speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, with Liz Draper and her six-month-old son, John, during a news conference with children’s advocates on Monday in Washington.Alex Wong/Getty Images House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, with Liz Draper and her 6-month-old son, John, during a news conference with children’s advocates on Monday in Washington.

Mission District residents were skeptical about President Barack Obama's promise late last week to take up a new immigration bill, but said one item remains at the top of their wish list: legalization.

On Thursday President Obama met with Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, and Lindsey Graham, R-SC, who are working on a bipartisan immigration reform bill. Afterwards, the president said his commitment to resolving the issue is "unwavering."

Sen. Lindsey Graham walked out of his immigration meeting with President Obama last week and said the president needs to pressure labor unions to accept a temporary-worker program as part of any bill.

The nation's immigration courts are choked by the largest backlog of pending deportation and asylum cases in history, more than 18,000 of them in Texas, a Syracuse University-based data research institute reported Thursday.