NEW YORK: Some US tech companies express disappointment with a ruling by a federal judge that blocked new applications to a program that protects immigrants who were brought to the United States as children from deportation.

US District Judge Andrew Hanen on Friday sided with a group of states suing to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, arguing that it was illegally created by former President Barack Obama in 2012. “We have long argued in support of this program, filing an amicus brief in this case, and we are very disappointed by the decision (from the judge)”, a Google spokesperson said.

“Dreamers and immigrants make the United States - and Twitter - better”, a spokesperson from social media platform Twitter said in an emailed statement.