California Attorney General Xavier Becerra supports steps to protect DACA

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said it's "a good day for fairness" a day after a federal judge ruled to temporarily block the Trump administration's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

DACA has protected about 800,000 people from deportation - including many who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

The judge in Sacramento who made the ruling Tuesday said lawyers in favor of DACA clearly demonstrated that young immigrants were likely to suffer irreparable harm without court action.

That judge also said that lawyers have a strong chance of succeeding at trial as the underlying case is still playing out.

Becerra said the ruling should bring immediate relief to those worrying about deportation.

"If you were a DACA recipient who had your status expire, you now have an opportunity to reapply and extend for another two years your status and work authorization," he Becerra said.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced last September that the program would be phased out under the Trump administration, saying Former President Barack Obama had exceeded his authority when he implemented DACA in 2012.

President Donald Trump took to Twitter Wednesday to express his thoughts on the ruling.

Sen. Kamala Harris released a statement saying, "This ruling is further proof that the Administration's decision to pull the rug out from under them by ending DACA was not only immoral, but illegall."

Both Harris and Becerra say this is not a lasting solution, and they want Congress to finally vote on and pass the DREAM Act without delay.