WASHINGTON, D. C. - Ohio Gov. John Kasich wants Congress to kick off the New Year by taking action protecting a group of undocumented immigrants known as "Dreamers" who were brought to the United States as children.

On Wednesday, Kasich joined a bipartisan group of 11 governors in writing a letter that urged Republican and Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate to "support these young American immigrants by quickly sending a signal that we want them to continue to play a productive role in our communities."

11 bipartisan governors once again come together, this time urging Congress to take immediate action on behalf of Dreamers. Read the whole letter here: https://t.co/IRVbrbAI8M pic.twitter.com/rfS4wdbLX4 — John Kasich (@JohnKasich) December 20, 2017

In September, President Donald Trump cancelled a program established by President Barack Obama that gave roughly 800,000 unauthorized immigrants who came to the United States before age 16 a chance to stay if they meet certain conditions, which include working toward or obtaining a high school degree or a GED, and avoiding a serious criminal conviction.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program would wind down after six months to give Congress time to address the fate of the program's participants. He said the Department of Justice evaluated the policy's constitutionality and determined it conflicts with immigration laws.

The letter from Kasich and the other governors said that more than 12,000 dreamers lost their protected status and became subject to deportation after Trump cancelled the program, and roughly 100 more lose that status every day. Those numbers will rise dramatically without a legislative fix, they said.

"This is not a theoretical peril, but in fact an immediate and urgent one, because more than 100 young people in our cities and towns are losing their protective status every day," the letter said "Those numbers will accelerate dramatically without a legislative fix."

The letter noted that DACA recipients subjected themselves to extensive background and security checks so they could work and attend college in the United States. Without congressional action, it said hard-working, tax-paying DACA recipients may be deported from the only nation they have ever called home.

"We urge you to support these young American immigrants by quickly sending a signal that we want them to continue to play a productive role in our communities," it said. "As a bipartisan coalition of governors, we stand ready to help."

Other governors who signed the letter were Colorado's John Hickenlooper, Montana's Steve Bullock, Pennsylvania's Tom Wolf, Nevada's Brian Sandoval, Massachusetts' Charlie Baker, Vermont's Phil Scott, Minnesota's Mark Dayton, North Carolina's Roy Cooper and Wisconsin's and Scott Walker

On Wednesday, Arizona GOP Sen. Jeff Flake posted on Twitter that a bipartisan bill to legalize DACA recipients will be considered on the U.S. Senate floor in January.

Bipartisan #DACA bill will be on the Senate floor in January. — Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) December 20, 2017

In a Tuesday interview on Fox News, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said he expects the Senate will discuss the matter next year.

"The president has given us until March to address that issue," said McConnell. "We have plenty of time to do it."