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WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. President Obama on Friday called on the nation's mayors to support his view of middle-class economics, which he touted in the State of the Union address earlier in the week. Obama made the appeal in remarks before the U.S. Conference of Mayors at the White House.
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The mayors are in Washington for the 83rd winter meeting of the conference.
"We take our partnership with you seriously, because you're often the place where change happens fastest," told the 200 mayors in attendance.
He pointed out that many bigger cities are already doing some of the things he suggested in Tuesday's address, like raising the minimum wage and putting in place paid leave policies.
"So that's what mayors do. They get things done. They make things happen. And on other urgent issues like responding to climate change or getting more families insured, rebuilding infrastructure, making sure that our youngest Americans get the best start in life with quality pre-K -- mayors like you are helping to get it done. And we want to help," Obama said.
Obama's remarks came on the same day big-city mayors said they plan to back Obama's immigration initiative by filing a legal brief countering a lawsuit brought by 25 states.
On Friday, a group headed by Bill de Blasio of New York and Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles announced plans to file an amicus brief in support of the president in the lawsuit against his executive order sparing some illegal immigrants from deportation.
"The public interest across the country is served clearly and overwhelmingly by implementing immigration reform by executive action," de Blasio said in a statement. "Delaying implementation of the President's executive action will further hurt our families, negatively impact our economies, and create unnecessary insecurity in our communities."
The states' lawsuit, brought by Republican officials, charged that "unilateral suspension of the nation's immigration laws is unlawful." It was filed in federal court in Austin by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, then the state's attorney general.
At least 28 mayors said they plan to sign on to the counter-brief. They include the mayors of Washington, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta and Denver.
Earlier in the day, mayors heard a discussion from former city leaders now in the president's administration, including Housing and Urban Development Director Julian Castro, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Jerry Abramson, director of intergovernmental affairs.
Earlier in the week, the mayors spent much of their time in task force and committee meetings and discussions of everything from community policing to transportation infrastructure.
