US President Joe Biden has made reference to his Irish roots during a naturalisation ceremony at the White House.

Mr Biden hosted the event to welcome 21 newly sworn-in citizens to the US as part of this weekend's Independence Day celebrations.

During his address, he recalled the story of his own ancestors.

"At least two-thirds of them got on a coffin ship in the Irish sea back in 1849 having no idea if they'd make it across the Atlantic to the United States but certain if they did, they could do better, and they did," he said.

He said he stood on the shoulders of the sacrifices made by his ancestors.

"They believed, like you believe, that anything is possible and I want to thank you for choosing the United States," he told the newly sworn-in citizens.

During the ceremony, the US president also made reference to immigration reform saying that the current system needed to be fixed.

"I've kept my commitment by sending an immigration reform bill to the US Congress that includes smart border management and security and a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented people," he said.

On the current migrant crisis at the US-Mexico border, he said that the Vice President Kamala Harris was looking at the root causes of migration from countries such as Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Mr Biden said he could think of no better way of celebrating the Fourth of July weekend than by inviting newly sworn-in citizens to the White House.

"It's the people's house that, I might add, was designed by an Irish man in a nation shaped by the immigrant's heart," Mr Biden said.