In a ceremony on Independence Day where immigrants who served or are serving in the U.S. military became U.S. citizens, President Barack Obama used the time to his advantage to make a renewed call for immigration reform, with a group that is important to his political future.

Obama addressed close to two dozen military personnel who were born in foreign countries and were taking advantage of a special program that offers them citizenship, in return for serving in the armed forces.

Obama took the opportunity to talk about his recent change in policy that lifted the threat of deportation from the shoulders of over 800,000 illegal immigrants who were brought to the country as young children by their parents.

His change in policy has appealed to most Hispanic voters who could help him win key swing stats during the upcoming election. U.S. military personnel receiving their citizenship were from Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia, Russia, Ghana and the Philippines.

Immigration is now a flashpoint in the battle for the White House between Obama and Mitt Romney the Republican president candidate. Romney, the ex-Governor of Massachusetts, during the primary season, campaigned for self-deportation by illegal immigrants. His proposal did not go over well with many Hispanics. He also accused Obama of changing his immigration policy for political gain, but declined to say if he were elected, he would repeal the new policy change.

Obama’s lead in the polls is huge over Romney amongst Hispanic voters, though some are very disappointed, he has not delivered on his pre-election promise in 2008 of reforming the U.S. immigration laws.