The fate of more than 611,000 recipients of an immigration policy that allows some migrants to remain in the country is in limbo.

A federal appeals court in New Orleans began hearing arguments over the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. 

The program allows eligible migrants who came to the United States as children to request deferred action on their immigration status for a period of two years, subject to renewal, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.

DACA recipients are also eligible for work authorization.

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Texas and six other states are arguing the program places an undue burden on the states and amounted to executive overreach.

Local DACA recipient Abraham Diaz said he and other recipients are frustrated by the legal battle and hope the court rejects any argument deeming DACA as unlawful.

“First they take a lawsuit against the DACA program to finish our lives, to finish the big opportunities, we have,” Diaz said. “Then they start Operation Lone Star where they jail immigrants just a few hours away."

A Texas judge ruled last year that DACA was unlawful and blocked the government from approving new applications. The judge allowed the program to continue for current recipients while the case is litigated.

“A lot of these people are already in their late twenties, early thirties,” Joaquin Garcia with La union del Pueblo Entero said. “They're doctors, they're lawyers, they're business owners. They thrive in our community, but their future is uncertain because of this."

Advocates are rallying in support of the recipients.