President Barack Obama is dismissing a notion that the threat of a government shutdown will impact immigration reform.

The president says that threat by Republicans doesn't affect the timing of his executive action on immigration.

He says any action he takes will require changes to how the Homeland Security Department operates.

The president is considering action on his own as early as this week, to possibly shield up to about 5 million immigrants now living illegally in the U.S. from deportation.