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WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Congress will pass U.S. immigration reform legislation before 2017, President Barack Obama said in an interview that aired Friday.

Speaking with Univision Radio, the president said House Republicans have "refused so far to act," and urged listeners to put pressure on Congress to enact reform.

"I believe it will get done before my presidency is over," he said. "I'd like to get it done this year."

"And I think sending a strong message to them that this is the right thing to do, it's important to do, it's the fair thing to do, and it will actually improve the economy and give people a chance," Obama said.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday a procedural maneuver to circumvent the House Republican majority could revive stalled efforts on immigration.

He told the New York Times he was considering a legislative tactic known as a discharge petition to bring sweeping immigration legislation out of committee to the floor for consideration. The tactic, which has succeeded only twice since 1985, is done by bringing the measure directly to the House floor, bypassing the regular committee process, and usually without the cooperation of House leadership.

A successful petition "discharges" the committee from further consideration of a bill and brings it directly to the floor.

The petition would require the support of an absolute majority of House members, meaning if all Democrats supported the measure, it would still need more than a dozen Republican signatures, the Times said.

Schumer, one of the architects of a comprehensive immigration reform measure that passed the Senate in June, told the newspaper GOP House members were trying to "sweep this issue under the rug."

"In the next few months you're going to see increased pressure, and the discharge petition is one such way," he said.

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Obama predicts immigration reform no later than 2017