Introduced by President Barack Obama five years ago, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals provides them with work and study permits.
But as a presidential candidate, Donald Trump vowed to scrap it.
In Los Angeles, hundreds of people have gathered for a rally calling for the DACA program to be protected.
These are uncertain times for almost 800-thousand people who were brought to the United States illegally as children.
The so-called "dreamers" are in limbo - waiting to hear from Donald Trump.
In the Oval Office, reporters grilled the President over the issue.
"(Reporters) Mr President, what's your decision on DACA? Mr President, a decision on DACA?(Donald Trump) Sometime today or over the weekend we'll have a decision.(Reporter) Should dreamers be worried? (Trump) We love the dreamers, we love everybody.
Schoolteacher Miss Luna is one of those whose future is in the hands of the US President.
She was in tears describing her feelings about Mr Trump.
"I have no respect for him and what he's doing. I know he's in a position of power and I know that I would have to be able to persuade him, but why do I have to persuade him about my humanity."
This is politically tricky territory for DonaldTrump.
As a presidential candidate he vowed to scrap DACA. Several state attorneys general are now calling on him to keep that promise or face a lawsuit.
But leaders of big businesses like Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Google want the program protected.
Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan is also backing the push to protect DACA.
"I would say these kids don't know any "other home, I think there's a humane way to fix this, I think President Trump agrees with fixing this and it's got to be up to the legislature, we've got to be able to fix this."
The presidents of Harvard, Princeton and Yale universities also want the program retained.
Princeton's president, Christopher Eisgruber, wrote: "I expect that the extraordinary young people at Princeton and other institutions of higher education who have benefited from the DACA program will be leaders in building the innovation economy that your administration has championed."
The key question for many is whether Donald Trump considers those who came to the US as babies Americans or foreign nationals.
His press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, wouldn't be drawn on that question but indicated a decision wouldn't be made public this weekend.
Look, I'm not going to get into the back and forth while we are in the process of finalizing the details on this, but we're going be working on that throughout the weekend, and make that announcement Tuesday."
As a candidate, Mr Trump took a hard-line on immigration and deportations have increased since he took office.
But on this issue he's adopted a softer tone.
Thiswas the US president talking to ABC America in January.
"They shouldn't be very worried, I do have a big heart. We're going to take care of everybody."
Almost 800-thousand people are hoping he meant it.
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