Posted September 9, 2014 - 5:31pmUpdated September 9, 2014 - 5:36pm

Immigration advocates arrested outside Reid office

By STEVE TETREAULT
STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON — A half-dozen protesters unhappy with President Barack Obama delaying immigration reform were arrested outside one of Sen. Harry Reid’s Capitol offices on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the protest group acknowledged that Reid, D-Nev., was an unlikely target as he has championed immigration rights for young DREAMers and passage of comprehensive reform.


But Mario Carrillo, spokesman for United We Dream, said Reid is viewed as an enabler for Obama’s decision announced Saturday to postpone presidential action on immigration until after the November elections.


Carrillo pointed to a news report that Reid Chief of Staff David Krone told his White House counterpart that Reid and Senate Democratic leaders would not complain if Obama delayed action. Democrats had become increasingly fearful that a bold move by Obama would hurt their candidates in conservative states.


“We saw (that) as Sen. Reid being okay with 70,000 people being deported between now and the elections,” Carrillo said. “So we just want him to show the same leadership he has in the past and have him demand the president act now.”


The protesters were arrested outside Reid’s satellite office in the Hart Building. The main office for the Senate majority leader is in the U.S. Capitol.


Reid spokeswoman Kristen Orthman sought to emphasize that Reid’s staff did not call Capitol police on the visitors.


“No one was arrested in our office and our staff did everything possible to prevent anyone from being arrested,” Orthman said. “We explained to those present that they would not be arrested as long as they conducted their protest inside our office, since that is the only area we can control.


“When they moved their protest into the hallway, some individuals were arrested in response to complaints from other offices,” Orthman said.


Reid has blamed Republicans in Congress for not taking up immigration bills, prompting Obama to act unilaterally.


“Senator Reid knows that the President will act to prevent families from being torn apart and supports him using his broad executive authority,” Orthman said.


Reid’s office produced testimonials from Las Vegas immigration activists to show he retains support locally.


“You are with us, some people just don’t get it,” Jose Macias, a Las Vegas immigration activist, said in a note to Reid distributed by his office.


Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760. Find him on Twitter: @STetreaultDC.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/ne...de-reid-office