The U.S. Supreme Court took no action Friday on President Donald Trump’s bid to end deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants, suggesting the program may stay in place at least until the end of this year.

Under the court’s usual practices, Friday was the last day to accept an appeal and schedule the case for the last week of arguments in late April. The court’s current term runs through June, and the next one starts in October.

The administration is challenging rulings that are blocking Trump from rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA. Lower court judges have said the administration’s explanation -- that DACA is illegal -- isn’t adequate.

A decision not to hear the case this term would be a blow to the administration, which had contended the case was especially urgent. The government took the unusual step of turning to the Supreme Court even before a federal appeals court had ruled. The administration said it wanted a "timely and definitive resolution of the dispute this term."

The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later ruled against the administration, saying it acted based on a faulty view of the law. The panel left open the possibility the administration could end the policy for other reasons.

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