One of Southern California's top prosecutors is urging Congress to require immigrants to submit DNA samples as a condition to staying in the United States.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos sent a hand-delivered letter to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., asking that pending immigration reforms include provisions allowing immigrants' DNA samples to be cross-checked against the FBI's database in order to prevent criminals from obtaining U.S. citizenship.

"If they want to really be here on some form of work visa, or whatever Congress decides on a path to citizenship, I want to make sure they're law abiding," Ramos said.

Ramos said he believes the vast majority of illegal immigrants are otherwise law-abiding people who have entered the United States in search of work and he anticipates only a very small percentage of immigrants will be blocked from citizenship by a DNA test linking them to criminal activity.

Immigration reform ascended to the top of Washington's agenda this week after eight senators - including 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain, Arizona's senior senator, and likely 2016 GOP contender Marco Rubio, Florida's junior senator - on Monday asked for new immigration laws that would provide a means for illegal immigrants to pursue citizenship alongside some new enforcement procedures.

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