By Justin McCarthy in Washington.

The White House will turn green today, as the Taoiseach Enda Kenny visits president Obama for the annual St Patrick’s day celebrations in Washington DC.

Mr Kenny will raise the plight of the 50,000 undocumented Irish citizens living in the United States when he holds talks with the president at the Oval Office this morning.

Ireland is pushing the US for comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr Kenny will also discuss Northern Ireland, EU-US trade relations, and he will brief the President on Ireland’s progress in exiting the bailout.

Enda Kenny’s meeting with the President will be the centre piece of his week long trip to the US.

During his visit to the White House Mr Kenny will present President Obama with a leather bound Atlas of the Great Irish Famine.

The award winning book published by Cork University Press features 50 chapters offering the reader an insight into a pivotal time in Irish history.

Later today the Taoiseach will visit Capitol Hill to attend the Speaker’s Lunch with the President and Irish-American Senators and Congressmen.

The celebrations will continue tonight with a party at the White House to celebrate St Patrick’s day.

Today will be President Obama’s fifth time to welcome a Taoiseach to the Oval Office.

The annual shamrock ceremony first began in 1952 when the Irish Ambassador to the United States John Joseph Hearne sent a box of shamrock to president Truman.

Since then Irish leaders have made the journey to Washington each year to meet with the US president for discussions on Irish-American relations.