A federal judge once again ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is illegal, but he is allowing it to continue.

Judge Andrew Hanen of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled against the Biden administration's attempt to codify DACA into federal regulation at the request of several Republican-led states. Hanen had made a similar ruling in 2021, but he refrained from terminating deportation protections and work permits for 580,000 members of the program.

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The Biden administration is expected to appeal the decision, and it is likely to go up to the Supreme Court, according to CBS News.

Hanen's ruling closes the program for new applicants but allows beneficiaries to renew their work permits and deportation protections every other year.

DACA allows young illegal immigrants to remain in the United States without fear of deportation as long as they meet several requirements. These include a lack of a criminal record, arriving in the U.S. before June 2007 under the age of 16, graduating from an American high school, or serving in the military.

The program has become a hot-button issue in recent years as many Republicans aim to terminate it. The Trump administration sought to end the program in 2017, but the effort was blocked.

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Biden has championed the DACA program as an important part of immigration reform.

"Dreamers are Americans. Many have spent the majority of their lives in the United States. They are our doctors, our teachers, and our small business owners. Dreamers strengthen our economy, enrich our workplaces, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, many served their communities on the frontlines," Biden wrote in June. "My administration is committed to providing Dreamers the opportunities and support they need to succeed."