Las Vegas Sun

April 18, 2024

Anti-deportation protester interrupts Obama speech

SAN FRANCISCO — An anti-deportation protester confronted President Barack Obama, saying his family has been separated for 19 years and urged him to use executive powers to help immigrants living illegally in the United States.

The young man was standing behind Obama during the president's speech Monday, part of a selected audience that served as the backdrop to the San Francisco event. The president renewed his call for Congress to overhaul immigration laws.

The protester and another heckler yelled, quote, "Stop deportations!"

Obama countered that he must obey existing laws and cannot change them on his own. He said the easy way out is to yell and pretend that he can do something by violating current law.

Obama told his security detail to leave the protester and the heckler alone.