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September 5, 2014|1:30 pm

Dr. Russell Moore speaking at an Evangelical Immigration Table press conference, Washington, D.C., July 24, 2013.

The Evangelical Immigration Table's efforts to build support for immigration reform have achieved modest success, according to new research.

White Evangelical Republicans have moved more in the direction of supporting immigration reform, especially in the states where EIT bought radio ads, Michele Margolis, assistant professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, reported. Her paper, "What are the reaches and limits of religious influence? Religious messages and immigration attitudes," was presented Saturday at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting.

Between February 2013 and February 2014, Evangelical Republicans became slightly more supportive of immigration reform while non-Evangelical Republicans became more opposed to immigration reform. The differences among white Evangelicals were even more pronounced in the states that had EIT radio ads, despite the fact that white Evangelicals in those states started out more opposed to immigration reform than white Evangelicals in the states that did not have EIT radio ads, Margolis found.

The EIT is a coalition of Evangelical groups and leaders from across the political spectrum formed in 2012 to call for reform of the U.S. immigration system based upon a set of six principles. The coalition includes Bread for the World, National Association of Evangelicals, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Sojourners, the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, World Relief and World Vision.

As part of the EIT's mobilization efforts in 2013, radio ads featuring Evangelical pastors were bought in 16 states. Some congregations also participated in EIT's "40 Day Prayer Challenge," by spending 40 days reading and praying about 40 Bible verses related to immigration.

Immigration reform appeared to have some momentum in the summer of 2013 after the U.S. Senate passed immigration reform legislation. In the U.S. House, however, supporters of reform have produced some legislation in committees but have so far been unable to bring any of those bills to the floor for a vote, despite the fact that Speaker of the House John Boehner supports reform.

Margolis used The American Panel Study, a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults who were first interviewed in February 2013, while the EIT was still young; again in September 2013 after the radio ads and "prayer challenge" began; and again in February 2014.

Among white Evangelical Republicans, she found, opposition to immigration reform that includes a path to legal status for unauthorized immigrants dropped 12 percentage points, from 62 percent in February 2013, to 55 percent in September 2013, to 50 percent in February 2014. During the same period, non-Evangelical Republicans moved in the opposite direction, becoming more opposed to immigration reform.

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Evangelical Ads Changed Attitudes on Immigration, Study Finds

US president Barack Obama speaks during a news conference at the end of the Nato summit in Newport, Wales. Mr Obama said he will soon announce his plan to address US immigration reform. Photograph: Doug Mills/ The New York Times.

US president Barack Obama today said he will soon announce his plan to address US immigration reform, but sidestepped questions about whether he would wait until after November midterm elections to take action.

Polls show Americans are concerned about the impact undocumented immigrants have on the nation, and Democrats nervous about keeping control of the Senate have urged the White House to hold off on changes until after the elections.

Reforms would be a significant boost for the estimated 50,000 Irish people living and working illegally across the United States. In July, the then minister for foreign affairs Eamon Gilmore said it was far more a case now of when rather than if there will be immigration legislation in the US.

Speaking at a Nato summit in Wales, Mr Obama said he has received some recommendations from his homeland security secretary and attorney general on measures he can take without congressional approval.

I suspect that on my flight back, this will be part of my reading, taking a look at some of the specifics that weve looked at, and Ill be making an announcement soon, Mr Obama told reporters at a press conference.

He first emphasised more enforcement for illegal immigration was needed, and reiterated that he wished House Republicans would have passed legislation to reform the system.

In the absence of congressional action, I intend to take action, to make sure that were putting more resources on the border, that were upgrading how we process these cases, and that we find a way to encourage legal immigration.

Mr Obama also said he wanted to give undocumented immigrants who have been living in America for years some path so they can start paying taxes, pay a fine, and learn English, and be able to not look over their shoulder but be legal since theyve been living here for quite some time.

Reuters

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Obama to reveal steps to reform immigration soon

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivers a speech during a conference at the National Auditorium in Mexico city, on September 5, 2014 in the framework of Telmex foundation's "Mexico Siglo XXI" forum, owned by Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images

MEXICO CITY -- Hillary Rodham Clinton has said she won't make a decision about a 2016 presidential bid before the end of the year, and on Friday, she stuck to that timeline, saying she'll decide whether to run around the beginning of next year.

The former U.S. secretary of state, senator and first lady said her background gives her a "unique vantage point" to bring to the White House should she run in 2016.

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With Hillary Clinton's memoir "Hard Choices" slated to hit bookshelves soon, Tom Friedman, Peggy Noonan, Michael Gerson, and David Gergen discuss...

"I do have a unique vantage point and set of experiences about what makes the United States operate well and what doesn't and what a president can do and should be doing," she said. "So I am going to be making a decision around, probably after the first of the year, about whether I'm going to run again or not."

Clinton first ran for president in 2008, but she was defeated in the Democratic primary by then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

She was asked about her intentions for the next presidential cycle Friday at an event in Mexico City honoring thousands of scholarship students supported by the Telmex Foundation, one of several charitable organizations under the umbrella of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim.

Clinton would only speak "hypothetically" about a possible presidential bid. She added she would have to have a clear vision of what she wants to achieve, and as well as how she would lead politically to realize that vision.

"I think the most important question anybody should ask who's thinking about it is not whether you're going to run or whether you're going to win -- it is what's your vision for the country and can you lead us there?" she explained. "And I will have to be convinced that I have a very clear vision with an agenda of what I think needs to be done, and that I have the experience and know-how to lead -- not just those who agree with me, but those who disagree with me, to try to achieve those goals. It's a very serious undertaking, so obviously I'm thinking about it, but I have not made a decision yet."

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Hillary Clinton: I'll decide on 2016 presidential bid early next year

By Dan Merica

updated 8:57 PM EDT, Thu September 4, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Washington (CNN) -- Hillary Clinton used a softball climate change question on Thursday to step up her political rhetoric and hit Republicans for "denying people jobs and middle-class incomes."

The answer was telling because Clinton turned a benign, nonpartisan question into a political talking point, something that months ago she would likely not have done.

"The hardest part for me of this whole false choice debate that has gone on too long is that aside from the deniers and the folks who want to pretend that we don't have a crisis is the fact that we are leaving money and jobs behind," Clinton said at the Clean Energy Summit 7.0, describing the choice between investing in clean energy and growing the American economy.

Clinton added: "For those on the other side, they have to answer to the reality they are denying people jobs and middle-class incomes and upward mobility by their refusal to look to the future."

For months, Clinton has crisscrossed the country as part of her time on the speaking circuit and on her book tour. The former secretary of state is widely seen as the front-runner to be the Democrat's presidential nominee in 2016 and, although she has not announced she is running, she has admitted she is thinking about it and will likely make a decision at the start of 2015.

As that decision date moves closer, Clinton appears to be getting more comfortable with giving political answers. She has also stepped up her political schedule, with events with a cadre of Democratic groups in September.

Henry Kissinger loves joking about Hillary Clinton 2016

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Clinton: Republicans are denying clean energy jobs

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks to the scholarship recipients of the Telmex Foundation during the annual Mexico XXI Century event, hosted by billionaire Carlos Slim, in Mexico City, Mexico, Friday, Sept. 5, 2014. (Dario Lopez-Mills - Associated Press)

MEXICO CITY - Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday she will likely make a decision on whether to run for president around the beginning of 2015.

The former U.S. secretary of state, senator and first lady said her background gives her a "unique vantage point" to bring to the White House should she run in 2016. But she said she wants to be sure she has a clear vision of what she wants to achieve, as well as how to lead both sides of the political aisle toward those ends.

"I am going to be making a decision around probably after the first of the year," she said.

Clinton spoke at an event in Mexico City honoring thousands of scholarship students supported by the Telmex Foundation, one of several charitable organizations under the umbrella of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim.

Her appearance coincided with a Mexico trip by a potential 2016 GOP rival, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. He was touring the central city of Puebla, and the two were not expected to cross paths.

Clinton also met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Friday, as did Christie earlier this week.

Asked about her presidential intentions, Clinton would only speak "hypothetically."

"That's a very serious undertaking," she said. "So obviously I'm thinking about it, but I have not made a decision yet."

Slim, one of the world's wealthiest people according to Forbes magazine, was in the audience. Other speakers on the agenda included Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, actor Antonio Banderas and soccer player Ronaldinho.

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Hillary Clinton: 2016 decision likely by early next year