A new poll shows 51 percent of U.S. adults disapproved of President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration reform, while 41 percent approved.

The president's plan on immigration would in part defer deportation and provide working permits for close to five million undocumented immigrants who are parents of children who are either citizens or have permanent residency status.

Two-thirds of those polled, however, said they are following news about Obama's immigration plans closely.

The Gallup Daily poll argues that the reason for those in disapproval of Obama's immigration reform policy "may have to do with is his use of executive order rather than the legislative process." The poll didn't ask for the reasons why a respondent disapproved of the policy but disapproval over the use of executive action has promoted at least 17 state attorneys general to join a lawsuit saying the president's use of executive action violated the U.S. Constitution.

The Gallup poll was conducted just four days after the president announced his plan in a televised national address on Nov. 20 and continued through to Dec. 8. Pollsters interviewed 6,000 U.S. adults -- 4,539 were white, with more than 500 Latinos, blacks and U.S. immigrants -- who report they were born outside the U.S. Interviews were conducted in Spanish for respondents were only Spanish-speaking.

Latinos who were born in the U.S. in the poll only supported the announcement by 51 percent, with 41 percent disapproving. Those Latinos born in other countries supported the measure by 75 percent.

Of those polled, 70 percent who identified as Democrats approved the plan, while 85 percent who identified as Republicans disapproved of the plan and independents were more disapproving.

Absent from the poll which targeted majority white U.S. adults was any indication of Asians being polled for their opinion on the president's plan. The U.S. is estimated to be home to 1.5 undocumented Asians from China, Indian, Philippines and Korea.