Republican Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery no longer supports an effort to pressure President Donald Trump to end a program that allows young immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally to stay in the country.

Slatery announced the reversal Friday in a letter to Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker. In June, he had joined a coalition of conservative state attorneys general who had threatened to challenge DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, in court if Trump did not eliminate it by Sept. 5.

But in his Friday letter, Slatery said his office would not participate in the litigation "because we believe there is a better approach." He urged Alexander and Corker, both Tennessee Republicans, to use legislation to establish a permanent policy that would address undocumented immigrants who came here as children.

► Read more:Slatery previously wanted to challenge DACA in court

"It is my sincere hope that the important issues raised by the States will be resolved by the people's representatives in the halls of Congress, not in a courtroom," Slatery said.

Slatery's about face comes just days away from the deadline set by the state attorneys general.

The White House is expected to announce a decision on DACA by Tuesday. In anticipation, a growing chorus of immigration advocates, business leaders and Republican politicians have urged Trump to keep the program in place.

Slatery reiterated his previous critique of DACA, which was established by former President Barack Obama in a 2012 executive action. He framed it as executive overreach and an inappropriate way to address the deeply partisan immigration debate.

But Slatery said he understood the "human element" of the program that "should not be ignored."

More than 800,000 people nationally and more than 9,300 people in Tennessee have been accepted into the program, according to the Migration Policy Institute. They have used their legal status to pursue college, get jobs and buy houses in the United States.

"Many of the DACA recipients, some of whose records I reviewed, have outstanding

accomplishments and laudable ambitions, which if achieved, will be of great benefit and service to our country," Slatery said. "They have an appreciation for the opportunities afforded them by our country."

Immigration rights advocates had sharply criticized Slatery for his role in forcing a showdown on DACA. But they were happy to see him change his mind Friday.

"Since the attorneys general sent a letter to the President threatening legal action, undocumented youth in Tennessee have been pleading with our attorney general to remove Tennessee from the lawsuit," Stephanie Teatro, co-executive director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, said in a statement. "We were heartened to read Attorney General Slatery's reflections and grateful that he had the courage to reconsider the state's position."

Slatery encouraged Alexander and Corker to consider bipartisan legislation — sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Richard

Durbin, D-Ill. — that would protect young undocumented immigrants who grew up here, known as Dreamers, from deportation.

"It is not a comprehensive answer to our immigration policy challenges," Slatery wrote, "but it would be a very good start."

Reach Adam Tamburin at atamburin@tennessean.com or 615-726-5986 and on Twitter @tamburintweets.