WASHINGTON (AP) — Twenty-nine House Democrats are urging President Barack Obama to suspend deportations of immigrants living here illegally and extend relief to many of the estimated 11 million.

In a letter on Thursday, the lawmakers called on the president to act in the absence of immigration legislation that remains stalled in the Republican-led House.

Obama last year moved on his own to halt deportations for some young immigrants living in the country illegally who arrived as children. So far more than 550,000 young immigrants have been allowed to stay under the program.

The lawmakers were led by Reps. Luis Gutierrez (goo-tee-AYR'-ehz) and Raul M. Grijalva (gree-HAHL'-vuh) and argued relief should be expanded to many immigrants who would be eligible for a path to citizenship in the Senate-passed immigration bill that Obama supports.