(MCT) — WASHINGTON — An afternoon meeting at the White House between President Barack Obama and key Republican senators who are working on immigration reform ended on an upbeat note, with high hopes for legislation “sooner rather than later,” one of the lawmakers said.

The president’s overture to Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was the first in some time to his occasional opponents, and showed the emphasis Obama has put on making immigration reform a top priority. The men met privately, along with Vice President Joe Biden.