Obama is expected to refocus immigration enforcement away from the country's interior and onto a Mexican border that has seen a tide of children crossing illegally from Central America, the official said.
This official said Obama decided to bypass Congress after House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner informed him last week that the chamber would not vote on an immigration overhaul this year.
Obama was expected to address the status of immigration policy later today.
Obama's decision effectively declares that a broad-based change in immigration policy is dead for the year, and perhaps for the remainder of his administration.
Changing immigration laws and providing a path to citizenship for about 11 million immigrants in the country illegally has been one Obama's top priorities as he sought to conclude his presidency with major second-term victory.
Obama's ability to undertake changes on his own is limited.
He is instructing Homeland Security Department Secretary Jeh Johnson and Attorney General Eric Holder to present him with executive actions he can take without congressional approval by the end of the summer.
Unlike Mexican immigrants arrested after entering the US illegally, those from Central America cannot be as easily returned to their countries. Obama is seeking authority to act more quickly.
The Border Patrol has apprehended more than 52,000 child immigrants traveling on their own since October.
In responding to the influx of unaccompanied children, Obama plans to concentrate immigration resources on the border areas.
The move will effectively further reduce the number of deportations in the country's interior by stressing enforcement action on individuals who are either recent unlawful border crossers or who present a national security, public safety, or border security threat.