President Barack Obama plans to unveil a comprehensive U.S. immigration policy that will be implemented through executive action as early as next week, Fox News reported on Wednesday, citing a source close to the White House.
The plan, which will include a 10-point agenda, was contained in a draft proposal from an unidentified U.S. government agency and could be announced as early as November 21.
Apart from suspending deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants, the immigration reform would also expand policy of "deferred action" on deportation of illegal immigrants who came to the country as children, as well as for parents of U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents, The Hill reported.
That provision could let up to 4.5 million undocumented immigrants with U.S.-born children remain in the country, Fox News said, citing estimates.
Additionally, the 10 different initiatives will range from boosting border security to improving pay for immigration officers to specifically target those who have committed serious crimes for deportation, according to Fox News.
The expected announcement comes as Republicans warn Obama not to take action on immigration through executive action, while Democrats pressure him to deliver on his promise to reduce deportations.
However, when asked for comment on the report, White House spokesman Shawn Turner, said: "The president has still not made a decision regarding exactly when he'll make an announcement about executive action to fix our broken immigration system."
"In fact, he has not yet received final recommendations from the Department of Homeland Security. As the President has said previously, he is committed to taking action before the end of the year."
Last Friday, Obama reportedly ignored congressional Republicans' warning to refrain from taking executive action that would stem deportations or allow a flood of new immigrants into the country. Instead, the president told Republicans that he planned to move ahead unless the GOP passed a bill and advanced immigration legislation, the Washington Examiner reports.
Meanwhile, any unilateral action promises to draw the ire of Republicans in Congress, according to TheBlaze.
"When you play with matches, you take the risk of burning yourself," Boehner warned last week. "And he's gonna burn himself if he continues to go down this path. The American people made it clear on election day: they want to get things done, and they don't want the president acting on a unilateral basis."
Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said Tuesday that he believes the GOP will use the immigration issue to "introduce an impeachment resolution" against Obama.
"They know that this is an issue that the president feels very strongly about," Clyburn said. "They believe that the president is so committed to this issue that he will, in fact, perform an executive order to get it done and that will be the peg in which they will hang an impeachment resolution."
