WASHINGTON (AP) — Police have arrested seven immigration activists who chained themselves to the White House fence to protest deportations under the Obama administration.
The small group of protesters chanted “not one more” and demanded Obama halt deportations of immigrants in the U.S. illegally. Police warned the protesters several times before arresting them. U.S. Park Police say they were arrested for failure to obey a lawful order.
Immigration activists have been pledging to use civil disobedience to press their message as immigration legislation remains stalled in Congress.
But Obama has ruled out a deportation freeze. Last year the administration suspended deportations of some immigrants brought here illegally as children. But Obama said Tuesday that broadening that to include other immigrant groups isn’t an option. He said that would essentially be ignoring the law.
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