Washington ( CNN ) -- The U.S. is preparing new sanctions against members of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad who are overseeing the violent crackdown against protesters , according to several senior U.S. officials with knowledge of the action . A new Treasury Department executive order targeting senior officials accused of human rights abuses would involve an asset freeze and travel ban , as well as prohibiting them them from doing business in the United States . On Monday , National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said the United States is `` pursuing a range of possible policy options , including targeted sanctions , to respond to the crackdown and make clear that this behavior is unacceptable . '' The move comes as the Obama administration weighs its options on how to step up pressure against the al-Assad regime . Sanctions are among `` a range of possible options '' to pressure the Syrian government to stop attacking protesters , White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday . `` What we have seen is that sanctions can put pressure on governments and regimes to change their behavior , '' Carney said . A meeting of the Deputies Committee at the White House on Friday explored what additional unilateral sanctions the United States could impose against Syria and other actions the U.S. could take , including a possible on-camera statement by President Obama . There have been numerous reports of deadly violence over the past several days . On Sunday , at least three protesters were killed when security forces and secret police raided the town of Jableh on Syria 's western coast and fired at demonstrators without warning , according to a witness and demonstrator . Security forces surrounded a mosque that was being used to treat the wounded , preventing 18 seriously wounded people from being hospitalized , according to a doctor inside . On Saturday , at least 10 people died after Syrian security forces opened fire on mourners at funeral processions in Douma and the southern town of Izraa , according to witness accounts . Amnesty International reported at least 75 deaths across the country Friday . The decision to step up pressure comes amid increased fears of further bloodshed . `` We are worried he is dropping all pretenses of reform and carrots and sticks and is going to go out hard with all sticks , '' one official said . `` We are expecting him to increase the crackdown . '' On Friday , the White House released a statement by Obama condemning `` in the strongest possible terms the use of force by the Syrian government against demonstrators . '' `` This outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end now , '' Obama said . The State Department is expected to call in the Syrian ambassador to the U.S. to protest the violence , and Robert Ford , the U.S. ambassador to Syria , was protesting the crackdown to foreign ministry officials in Damascus , officials said . The administration had taken a somewhat muted response to the crackdown in Syria out of fear of destabilizing the al-Assad regime . Officials have voiced concern about possible sectarian tensions if al-Assad 's Allowite minority were to be overthrown and have expressed little confidence about Syria 's fragmented opposition , leaving uncertainty about what type of government would replace al-Assad . The U.S. has also been under pressure from Israel and allies in the Gulf like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates , who fear that al-Assad 's departure could produce a more radical Syria and encourage further revolutions , officials said . However , as the crackdown in Syria has intensified , several U.S. officials and Western diplomats have described the regime as increasingly brittle and predicted that it would be hard for Assad to survive . Officials acknowledge that the United States has little leverage on Syria , which has proved immune to U.S. pressure during the protests . The Bush administration imposed strict sanctions against Damascus in 2004 , including banning almost all imports and exports between the two countries and measures against individual officials believed to be supporting extremists fighting U.S. forces in Iraq . It is unclear how effective a new round of sanctions would be . `` It is n't the same with Egypt , where we had relationships with the military and other institutions , '' one official said . `` We had aid we could use as a lever . There is n't a lot we can do with Syria . We are pretty maxed out with sanctions . '' Officials said the U.S. would be urging its European allies , who have also become increasingly concerned about the violence in Syria , to follow suit with measures of their own that could be more effective , given that Syrian officials have more assets in Europe and travel there more frequently . But the sanctions would mark a shift in U.S. policy toward al-Assad , whom the Obama administration had hoped would be a reformer and had tried to engage . Since Obama took office , the U.S. has eased some of the sanctions imposed by the Bush administration , and this year Obama returned a U.S. ambassador to Syria after nearly six years . The U.S. is also lobbying the United Nations to address Syria 's human rights abuses . On Tuesday , the United Nations Security Council is expected to take up the issue , and Washington is seeking to block Syria 's efforts to join the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva , where members are meeting Friday . U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen , R-Florida , chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee , has said she will soon introduce legislation updating the Syria Accountability and Liberation Act to strengthen U.S. sanctions , including authorizing U.S. assistance to support a transition to democracy in Syria .
Senior officials might be hit with asset freeze , travel ban . Washington concerned about increased violence against protesters . Syria has proved immune to U.S. pressure during protests . Administration had feared destabilizing Bashar al-Assad regime .