Nancy Pelosi shouted down by pro-immigration protesters in California
Dozens of pro-immigration protesters interrupted House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi during an appearance at her district in San Francisco on Monday.
Pelosi, who was joined by fellow Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee and Jared Huffman, were holding the event to call for the passage of the DREAM Act, which would codify the legal status of immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.
"Our nation's Dreamers are an inspiration to all of us," Pelosi told an assembled crowd, "with their courage and their patriotism. They embody the promise of America ... of the American Dream."
Soon after Pelosi began her remarks, however, a number of protesters entered the room and unfurled a banner in front of her podium. Pelosi moved off to the side as the demonstrators, in a call-and-response chant, demanded a "clean bill that protects immigrants youth without hurting our families."
VIDEO: Chaos at @NancyPelosi #DACA event as 40+ undocumented hijack her news conf in SF: "We are not your bargaining chip! Let us speak!" pic.twitter.com/KC2WyrjqSy
— Doug Sovern (@SovernNation) September 18, 2017
The protesters further demanded that Pelosi not "sell out our community and our values ... we will not be a bargaining chip for Trump's xenophobic agenda."
Pelosi then attempted to talk with the protesters, who accused her of favoring deportation of undocumented immigrants. "You are a liar, you are a liar," they yelled in unison.
"You don't know what you're talking about," Pelosi responded before leaving the event.
"I understand their frustration, I'm excited by it as a matter of fact, but the fact is they're completely wrong," Pelosi told reporters after the event. "The Democrats are the ones who stopped their assault on sanctuary cities, stopped the wall, the increased deportations in our last bill that was at the end of April, and we are determined to get Republicans votes to pass the clean DREAM Act."
"Is it possible to pass a bill without some border security?" she added. "Well, we'll have to see."
Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have been engaged in negotiations with President Trump over immigration and other issues in recent days.
The two Democrats dined with Mr. Trump last week and left saying they had reached a deal to protect immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally as children, although the president has pushed back on that characterization.