President Obama has repeatedly said that he will take executive action if Congress does not pass an immigration policy overhaul.

He will face fierce opposition if he does decide to forge his own path—a majority of Americans, including a majority of his own party, say Obama should continue to work with Congress on reforms, according to an Investors Business Daily/TIPP poll.

The poll shows 73 percent of the public say Obama should work with Congress on reforms.

Only 22 percent say he should "sidestep Congress and act on his own using executive orders"—something the president has pledged to do. He promised in June he would enact an executive amnesty if a comprehensive reform is not in place by the end of the summer.

However, he may be backtracking now. Obama is reportedly hesitating to enact an executive order, as doing so may cost his party the Senate.

This comes in tandem with a Pew study released Wednesday, which says that Americans have shifted their priorities in regard to immigration policy. The majority of Americans say they favor heightened border security and stricter enforcement of immigration laws over creating a path to citizenship.

Should Obama move forward with his plan, which would provide amnesty for illegal immigrants, he will face strong opposition in its plans and its execution.