(CNN) A suite of pressures on the policy that protects young undocumented immigrants is brewing -- and it could mean the program soon either becomes permanent or disappears entirely.

Next month, the Trump administration faces both an ultimatum from challengers to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, or DACA, and a potentially nasty government funding fight that could require an 11th hour deal to avert a shutdown.

Last week, the administration's biggest defender of DACA moved much closer to the President, who has also spoken about being sympathetic to DACA recipients. Gen. John Kelly is now the White House chief of staff, and as homeland security secretary, he spoke frequently about preserving the program under this administration.

That could make punting the issue to Congress an appealing solution for the administration.

"My assumption is that the cleanest thing they can do, though they'll take the vast majority of the blame for ending the program, is simply announce come September 5 a sunset of the program, that they'll stop approving applications, and then invite Congress to work on legislation," said a Democratic congressional staffer familiar with the issue who spoke on condition of anonymity to be candid.

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