AUSTIN, Texas — It’s been nearly two weeks since a federal judge blocked a policy that allowed Gov. Greg Abbott to ban refugees from initially resettling in Texas. With an appeal expected, refugee advocacy groups say the fight is far from over.  

For the past 25 years, Tom Linker's office has been at the head of the classroom teaching English as a second language to a group of refugees.  

“I love my students and that’s sincere. I really... it means a lot to me and I thank you, every day. I say thank you for coming," he said to his class.  

BiBi, as she's known in the U.S., is one of Linker's students who fled her home country of Afghanistan three years ago. She, like all refugees to Texas, is eligible for up to five years of English classes.  

RELATED: Groups Blast Gov. Abbott's Decision to Opt Out of Refugee Resettlement Program

“Because my move and my country is very problem. And that’s, live my, Austin is good,” said BiBi in broken English.  

Since the Texas governor informed the Trump administration he won't participate in the refugee resettlement program this year, ESL teachers fear what it could mean for the future of their refugee programs if federal funding is cut off.  

"Now we have to constantly defend what we’re doing and the clients we have,” said Lubna Zeidan with Interfaith Action of Central Texas.  

Mushtaq Kazn said he arrived in Texas last month from Iraq. He began English courses in Iraq, in hopes that finding work here might be easier.  

“You know, after war, the last war, everything we hoped to be good, but it’s not,” said Kazn.   

The governor has defended his decision, saying it doesn't stop refugees from moving to Texas after initially resettling in another state. Refugee advocates fear most will forego necessary resettlement services in order to be with their loved ones in Texas. 

"Refugees can come as secondary migrants, like they can come to another state and then decide to come to Texas, but when they do that they lose the support services," said Zeidan.   

Texas is the only state to have opted out of the refugee resettlement program. In recent years, Texas has been one of the leading states for resettlement.