President Barack Obama has asked the Department of Homeland Security to review its deportation practices "to see how it can conduct enforcement more humanely within the confines of the law," according to a statement issued by the White House.

Obama's order was made Thursday as he met with three Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) members, including U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL,4), to discuss immigration and deportations. 

It remains to be seen what deportation-related changes Obama could make without action from Congress, however. In 2012, Obama set up the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which grants a two-year protection against deportation for immigrants who came to the United States prior to the age of 16. That executive order "stretched my administrative capacity very far," Obama said in remarks last week. 

"I cannot ignore those laws any more than I could ignore any of the other laws that are on the books," the president said.

The White House has not commented on when the review of deportation practices will be completed. 

After Thursday's meeting, Gutierrez, who chairs the CHC's Immigration Task Force, issued the following statement:

The President directed Secretary Jeh Johnson to review with the CHC a menu of options that can be implemented to reduce the pain of the current enforcement escalation and end the deportations that separate families.

I will meet with Secretary Johnson next week to present options and then the entire CHC will meet with him to discuss those and other options the that Department of Homeland Security is developing when Congress returns after recess.

Just as important, Republicans should step up to the plate and take action on immigration reform and not abandon the American people on this important issue.  And in the absence of action by House Republicans, administrative action is imperative. 

It is clear that the pleas from the community got through to the President. The CHC will work with him to keep families together. The President clearly expressed the heartbreak he feels because of the devastating effect that deportations have on families.

This began a new dialogue between the CHC and the White House that had been dormant for too long.  The CHC Members who met with the President were adamant that the President needed to act.  I agree with the President that the ultimate solution and responsibility for fixing our broken immigration system rests with the Republican majority in the House of Representatives and we will work together to demand Republicans take action.