PHOENIX (AP) — A judge on Thursday refused to halt Gov. Jan Brewer’s order that denies driver’s licenses for young immigrants in Arizona who have gotten work permits and avoided deportation under an Obama administration policy.

The decision by U.S. District Judge David Campbell rejects the argument by immigrant rights advocates who said Brewer’s policy was unconstitutional because it’s trumped by federal law.

Arizona’s refusal to view those in President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program as legal residents has become the most visible challenge to his announcement in June that some young immigrants would be protected from deportation. The Department of Homeland Security has said immigrants with work permits issued under the policy are lawfully present in the U.S.

The ruling marked an overall victory for Brewer, though the groups challenging her policy prevailed on one front.

Campbell said immigrant rights advocates are likely to succeed in arguing that the state lets some immigrants with work permits get driver’s licenses but won’t let immigrants protected under Obama’s program to pursue the same benefit.

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