Report: Obama Set to Go It Alone on Immigration

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Sara Ramirez, of Gaithersberg, Md. rallies for comprehensive immigration reform outside the White House in Washington D.C. on Nov. 7, 2014.
Sara Ramirez, of Gaithersburg, Md., rallies for comprehensive immigration reform outside the White House in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 7, 2014Jacquelyn Martin—AP
By Noah Rayman

President Barack Obama is poised to unilaterally overhaul American immigration policy, according to several reports Thursday, in a long-anticipated move that would ignore his Republican critics and could allow up to 5 million undocumented immigrants to stay in the country.

The New York Times, citing unnamed Administration officials, reports that Obama intends as early as next week to announce plans to substantially refocus immigration enforcement involving some 12,000 agents and reduce the risk of deportation for millions of immigrants.

Photographer Captures Birds-Eye View of Border Crisis

US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
A U.S. Office of Air and Marine helicopter patrols over the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Mexico border in McAllen, Texas on July 21, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
Undocumented immigrant families walk before being taken into custody by Border Patrol agents near McAllen, Texas on July 21, 2014. John Moore—Getty Images
US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
U.S. Border Patrol agents chase undocumented immigrants through the countryside near Falfurrias, Texas on July 22, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
U.S. Border Patrol agents take undocumented immigrants into custody near Falfurrias, Texas on July 21, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
U.S. Border Patrol agents take undocumented immigrants into custody near Falfurrias, Texas on July 21, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
U.S. Border Patrol agents take undocumented immigrant families into custody at the border fence in McAllen, Texas on July 21, 2014. John Moore—Getty Images
US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
Border Patrol agents take undocumented immigrant families into custody in McAllen, Texas on July 21, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
U.S. Agents Take Undocumented Immigrants Into Custody Near Texas-Mexico Border
U.S. Border Patrol agents detain undocumented immigrants some 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border near Falfurrias, Texas on July 23, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
U.S. Agents Take Undocumented Immigrants Into Custody Near Texas-Mexico Border
An undocumented immigrant awaits medical attention by U.S. Border Patrol agents some 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border near Falfurrias, Texas on July 23, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
U.S. Agents Take Undocumented Immigrants Into Custody Near Tex-Mex Border
U.S. Border Patrol agents detain undocumented immigrants in dense brushland some 60 miles north of the U.S. Mexico border in Brooks County, Texas on July 23, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
U.S. Agents Take Undocumented Immigrants Into Custody Near Tex-Mex Border
An undocumented immigrant awaits transportation to a processing center after being detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents some 60 miles north of the U.S. Mexico border near Falfurrias, Texas on July 23, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
U.S. Agents Take Undocumented Immigrants Into Custody Near Tex-Mex Border
An undocumented immigrant sits after being detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents some 60 miles north of the U.S. Mexico border near Falfurrias, Texas on July 23, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
Undocumented immigrants await transport to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing center after being detained near Falfurrias, Texas on July 22, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
A U.S. Border Patrol agent endures the heat after taking undocumented immigrants into custody near Falfurrias, Texas on July 22, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
U.S. Agents Take Undocumented Immigrants Into Custody Near Texas-Mexico Border
Undocumented immigrants flee into dense brush from U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents some 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border in Brooks County, Texas on July 23, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
U.S. Border Patrol agents guard undocumented immigrants before sending them to a processing center near Falfurrias, Texas on July 22, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images
US Customs And Border Security Agents Patrol Texas-Mexico Border
Undocumented immigrants are transported to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing center after being detained near Falfurrias, Texas on July 22, 2014.John Moore—Getty Images

As many as 3.3 million parents of children who are American citizens or legal residents would be able to obtain legal work documents under the plan, the Times adds. Many immigrants with high-tech skills or who came to the U.S. as children could also be affected by the plan.

Obama has infuriated Republicans by pledging executive action on immigration if Congress does not pass a comprehensive reform bill. TIME’s Alex Altman wrote this week on the widely expected move, as well as the likely pushback from the soon-to-be Republican-controlled Congress:

The pressure on Obama to delay executive action is likely to build. Republican leaders say that skirting Congress to go it alone would ignite a controversy that jeopardizes the chances for cooperation between the President and the new GOP Congressional majority on a host of issues. “It’s like waving a red flag in front of a bull,” Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said. Immigration will be a touchstone in confirmation hearings for Loretta Lynch, Obama’s pick for Attorney General. Tea Party conservatives in the Senate signaled they plan to use the hearings to press Lynch on her views of the President’s executive authority on immigration.

Enacting sweeping changes to immigration law just weeks after the party was rebuked by voters at the polls could spark a blowback from voters. In one recent survey, conducted by Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway, 74% of respondents said they preferred Obama to work with Congress to retool a broken immigration system rather than maneuvering around the legislative branch.

Even some seasoned Democrats seem a bit skittish about the idea. Over a sea-bass lunch Friday with congressional leaders in the Old Family Dining Room of the White House, Obama told Boehner that his patience in waiting for the House to act on immigration had run out. At that point, according to a source familiar with the meeting, Vice President Joe Biden piped up to ask how long Republicans would need to craft immigration legislation — prompting the President to shoot Biden a look that closed the discussion.

Read more at the New York Times

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Write to Noah Rayman at noah.rayman@time.com