WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court heard arguments on Monday in a case probing the limits of presidential powers as the justices considered whether President Barack Obama overstepped his authority with unilateral action to protect millions of people in the country illegally from deportation.
The case, one of the biggest of the court´s current term ending in June, pits Obama against 26 states led by Texas that filed suit to block his 2014 immigration plan.
The eight justices began hearing a scheduled 90 minutes of arguments.
The court is evenly divided with four liberal justices and four conservatives following the February death of conservative Antonin Scalia.
That raises the possibility of a 4-4 split that would leave in place a 2015 lower-court ruling that threw out the president´s executive action that bypassed the Republican-led Congress.
Obama´s plan was tailored to let roughly 4 million people - those who have lived illegally in the United States at least since 2010, have no criminal record and have children who are US citizens or lawful permanent residents - get into a program that shields them from deportation and supplies work permits.
On a sunny spring day in the US capital, hundreds of demonstrators, most supporting Obama´s action, gathered outside the white marble courthouse.
Chants of "We´re home and here to stay, undocumented and unafraid," filled the air as protesters circled the block around the courthouse carrying signs that read "Keep Families Together" and "#EndDeportation.
"Zaira Garcia, 23, a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, recalled on the court´s front steps how her Mexican father´s employers would sometimes withhold pay because they knew he was not in the country legally.
"It´s inhumane, the way people who are undocumented can be taken advantage of," Garcia said.
"It made us realize and appreciate the sacrifice my parents made to come here.
A lot of people think coming to the US is an easy choice, but the reality is hard work and lots of humiliation because of lack of status.
"Ariana Galindo, 19, said her family constantly lived on the edge, worried about her parents being deported.
She is an American citizen but her parents are in the country illegally.
"I´m here representing my family," Galindo, who traveled cross-country from Los Angeles, said as she waited in a long line to hear Monday´s argument.
"Seeing my parents with so much stress, trying to pay rent and bills and provide for our family - with no sort of securities in place - gives me strength," Galindo said.
"There are millions more like them, and we have to speak for them."
Kevin Mooneyhan of the conservative group Tea Party Patriots said Obama exceeded his authority.
"We have a process in this country, and this is something the legislature should take care of," Mooneyhan said.