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A new enforcement memorandum, which will direct the actions of Border Patrol agents and judges at the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and other federal law enforcement and judicial agencies, will make clear that deportations should still proceed for convicted criminals, foreigners who pose national security risks and recent border crossers, officials said.

White House officials declined to comment publicly before a formal announcement by Mr. Obama, who will return from an eight-day trip to Asia on Sunday. Administration officials said details about the package of executive actions were still being finished and could change. An announcement could be pushed off until next month but will not be delayed into next year, officials said.

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"Before the end of the year, we're going to take whatever lawful actions that I can take that I believe will improve the functioning of our immigration system," Mr. Obama said during a news conference a day after last week's midterm elections. "What I'm not going to do is just wait."

The decision to move forward sets in motion a political confrontation between Mr. Obama and his Republicanadversaries that is likely to affect budget negotiations and debate about Loretta E. Lynch, the president's nominee to be attorney general, during the lame-duck session of Congress that began this week. It is certain to further enrage Republicans as they take control of both chambers of Congress early next year.

A group of Republicans led by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Senator Mike Lee of Utah and Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama is already planning to thwart any executive action by the president on immigration. The senators are hoping to rally their fellow Republicans to oppose efforts to pass a budget next month unless it explicitly prohibits the president from enacting what they call "executive amnesty" for people in the country illegally.

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"Our office stands ready to use any procedural means available to make sure the president can't enact his illegal executive amnesty," said Catherine Frazier, a spokeswoman for Mr. Cruz.

But the president and his top aides have concluded that acting unilaterally is in the interest of the country and the only way to increase political pressure on Republicans to eventually support a legislative overhaul that could put millions of illegal immigrants on a path to legal status and perhaps citizenship. Mr. Obama has told lawmakers privately and publicly that he will reverse his executive orders if they pass a comprehensive bill that he agrees to sign.

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Obama plans against deportations