Young immigrants shout down top House Democrat Pelosi

SAN FRANCISCO — Several dozen young immigrants shouted down Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the U.S. House, on Monday during an event in San Francisco, following her recent conversations with President Donald Trump over the future of a program that grants many of them legal status.

“We are immigrant youth, undocumented and unafraid,” they shouted as they overtook an event Pelosi was holding to encourage passing legislation that would give many young immigrants legal status.

After smiling and occasionally trying to speak through much of the protest, an aggravated Pelosi told the protesters to “just stop it now,” shortly before she was led out of the room.

The protests appeared aimed at Pelosi’s engagement with Trump on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which gives temporary legal protections to immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children or by parents who overstayed visas. Trump said this month that he will halt the program in six months if Congress does not continue it.

Last week, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer met with Trump and discussed extending the program. Schumer and Pelosi said they reached a deal with the White House that did not include funding for a promised border wall. But the White House and congressional Republicans say nothing is finalized.

Objecting to such negotiations, protesters chanted, “We are not a bargaining chip!”

Trump has said he wants to protect those immigrants, despite his decision to wind down the program. Meanwhile, six immigrants brought to the U.S. as children sued the Trump administration on Monday over its decision to end DACA.