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President Obama tried on Friday to address concerns among Democrats and immigration advocates about how and when he will take promised executive action to overhaul the nations immigration policies.

The debate over how Obama should address immigration has caused a fissure among the presidents allies and congressional Democrats in recent weeks. The Democrats are divided over whether the president should take executive action before the elections or hold off until after so he can assess the political makeup of Congress heading into his final years in office.

Obama allowed on Friday that he would make a decision fairly soon, but his comments did little to reassure those who had been pushing him to act before the November elections, on the theory that bold executive action could spur turnout among Democratic voters and earn the party broader support from business and agricultural groups.

Increasingly, those voices appear on the losing end of a internal struggle within the party.

We get it, said Frank Sharry, founder and executive director of Americas Voice, an immigration reform group. But Sharry, a generally supportive ally of the White House on immigration matters, seemed especially frustrated Friday. Obama has a track record of making promises in the immigration arena and failure to deliver. This has the feeling of yet another promise made that might not be kept, he said.

Its such a squandered opportunity to make history, he added.

Even as Obama reviews his options, several of his top advisers, including Valerie Jarrett and domestic policy chief Cecilia Muoz, began reaching out this week to labor leaders and immigration activists to say that he is likely to wait until after the elections to announce changes.

Several Democratic senators locked in tight reelection battles have suggested in recent days that Obama should wait for Congress to act. In a campaign debate this week, Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) said Obama should not take executive action to ease deportations. And Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) said in a statement that the White House is sending mixed messages on immigration. He faulted partisanship for stalling progress on immigration, but added: That doesnt give the President carte blanche authority to sidestep Congress when he doesnt get his way.

White House aides are explaining the delay by saying that the substance of Obamas executive actions will be more important than the timing, according to several people who received calls.

Janet Murgua, president of the National Council of La Raza, said, Normally the substance does matter over the timing. But for our community, this is converging. This is now about the presidents legacy.

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As Obama weighs moves on immigration, issue is splintering Democrats