Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL) was arrested at a Tuesday protest supporting Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The Congressman was taking part in a sit-in on the sidewalk outside the White House with a crowd of protesters and was one of the first people arrested.
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First arrest has happened @RepGutierrez #defendDACA pic.twitter.com/EVpsqczJHA
— Adrian I. Reyna (@isaiasreyna) August 15, 2017
Gutiérrez’s communication director told Talking Points Memo that the lawmaker was hoping to “bring attention to the program.” He has been arrested twice before (2010 and 2011) during protests–he was taken in by the U.S. Park Police, who are responsible for the grounds surrounding the White House. According to a tweet from his official Twitter account, he was still in custody at 4:00 p.m.
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Former NAACP director Ben Jealous was also arrested at the White House. Jealous is running for governor in Maryland.
According to the official website, DACA mandates that “people who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of deferred action [on deportation] for a period of two years, subject to renewal.”