The Latest: Trump weighs in on Supreme Court, immigration

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Supreme Court arguments on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (all times local):

11:35 a.m.

The Supreme Court's conservative majority seems prepared to allow the Trump administration to end a program that allows some immigrants to work legally in the United States and protects them from deportation.

There did not appear to be any support among the five conservatives for the challengers to the administration's decision to wind down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. It currently protects an estimated 660,000 immigrants who came to the United States as children.

Several justices indicated that the administration has provided a sufficient reason for wanting to do away with the program or that courts should not be reviewing the executive branch's discretionary decisions.

The high court's decision is expected by June, at the height of the 2020 presidential campaign.

___

9:55 a.m.

President Donald Trump says that if the Supreme Court overturns protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants "a deal will be made with the Dems for them to stay!"

The high court is hearing arguments Tuesday on Trump's bid to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

The program was begun under President Barack Obama and shields immigrants brought to the U.S. as children from being deported. It also allows the estimated 660,000 immigrants to work in the U.S. legally.

Trump's past promises to work with Democrats on protections for these immigrants have not led to an agreement.

Trump wrongly claimed Tuesday that many of those in the program are "no longer very young, are far from 'angels'" and that "some are very tough hardened criminals."

Under the program, anyone convicted of a felony is barred from participating. Serious misdemeanors may also bar eligibility.

___

12:10 a.m.

Protections for 660,000 immigrants are on the line at the Supreme Court.

The justices are hearing arguments Tuesday on the Trump administration's bid to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which shields immigrants brought to the U.S. as children from deportation and allows them to work in the United States legally.

The program was begun under President Barack Obama. The Trump administration announced in September 2017 that it would end DACA protections, but lower federal courts have stepped in to keep the program alive.

Now it's up to the Supreme Court to say whether the way the administration has gone about trying to wind down DACA complies with federal law.