Lawyers for the state of Alabama made their case before a judge Wednesday to dismiss a lawsuit that seeks to invalidate a state law that prevents cities from raising their own minimum wages.

William Parker, an attorney for the state, argued that there are many reasons for the state to prevent cities from changing minimum wages, including economic theory and the fact that more than a dozen other states have passed their own laws. Further, Parker said that all cities were prevented from raising the minimum wage, no matter their racial makeup, which makes the civil rights claim faulty.

The outcome of the case could determine if Birmingham gets to raise its minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, a move the city council passed in August but hasn't been enforced because of a state law passed early this year. Since then, two groups have sued, alleging the law violates civil rights.

At a rally before the hearing, around 30 people gathered to show support for the lawsuit. Sherrette Spicer called taking away Birmingham's right to set its own minimum wage was a slap in the face to workers.

"It's brutality to make a child think they're going to receive something (they won't). Because they didn't just take this raise from us," Spicer told the crowd. "No one deserves to work 40 hours and still have the threat of being homeless."

Workers gathered in front of the Hugo L. Black United States Courthouse chanting, "Put some respect on my check," and "We can't survive on 7.25."

The Rev. Lawton Higgs Sr., a retired pastor, joined the demonstrators in full clergy robes. He said he was embarrassed to be the only white clergy in attendance, saying clergy from all over town should be joining the fight for higher wages.

"I'm here to speak for God, and what's most holy is economic justice," Higgs said.

The Alabama National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Greater Birmingham Ministries filed the suit in U.S. District Court in April, claiming that HB 174 is tainted "with racial animus" and that is violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.

They added a new claim in June: that the law violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by transferring control over minimum wages from Birmingham's officials - who were voted in by Birmingham's majority black electorate - to state officials, who were elected by a majority white electorate. The suit claims this effectively disenfranchises Birmingham's voters.

The Birmingham City Council voted in 2015 to raise the city's minimum wage to $10.10 per hour through incremental raises. The Republican super majorities in the legislature's House and Senate put a bill to void the increase on the fast track, prompting the council to expedite Birmingham's raise, but the law ultimately voided the ordinance.