Tens of thousands of young undocumented immigrants are expected to apply for the Obama Administration's deferred action policy — but some advocacy groups are pushing states like New York to take the reform a step farther.

The deferred action policy grants some young undocumented immigrations brought to the U.S. illegally when they were children a reprieve from deportation. But it does not make them eligible for federal financial aid programs.

"That's a critical piece of what the states can do in response to what the president did, because even if you're eligible, even if you're free from deportation, you can get your work permit, if you can't afford to go to school, you're only helping people half the way," Chung Wa Hong, executive director of New York Immigration Coalitionon told WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show on Monday.

The coalition is among the groups working toward a New York State Dream Act, which would provide tuition assistance to undocumented young people.

New York is one a dozen states that offers in-state to immigrants, regardless of whether they're in the country illegally or not.