Rep. Luis Gutierrez was briefly arrested after demonstrating against President Donald Trump's policy at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Chicago, The Washington Examiner reported.
The Democratic Illinois congressman said police warned him that those protesting could be arrested if they remained at the headquarters.
During the sit-in, Gutierrez tweeted a picture of himself being handcuffed and an explanation of what was happening.
Gutierrez and a small delegation of advocates had attended an ICE meeting seeking information about specific cases, but after not receiving the answers they wanted, they refused to leave, CNN reported.
Gutierrez told CNN it is a lie that Trump is going after illegal immigrants who are criminals, saying instead "The fact is, they're going after DREAMers [undocumented immigrants who were arrived in the U.S. while children] . . . Somebody has to stand up for them ... they are under threat. When you see unfairness and unjustness . . . it's part of what being an American is, is to stand up."
The Chicago Tribune quoted the congressman as saying "it's reprehensible that immigrants are being treated this way, that rules are being changed without any information or notice, that low priorities for deportation are being removed from the country."
The ICE released a statement saying Gutierrez "sought actions and assurances that ICE officials couldn't provide" after which police officers were called and those refusing to leave were given several warnings before they were placed in restraints for a few minutes before they were removed.
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