President Barack Obama is drawing attention to his breakthrough directive on illegal immigration and is pressing his jobs agenda before Hispanic leaders.

The president's address today to a Florida gathering comes one day after the Hispanic officials gave a cool reception to GOP presidential challenger Mitt Romney and his newly softened stance on immigration.

The president's speech to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials is his first to a Hispanic group since he decreed that many young illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children would be exempted from deportation and granted work permits good for two years.

The immigration initiative has drawn renewed attention to the key Hispanic voting bloc and its potential for affecting the presidential election with its turnout and energy.