Democratic congressmen arrested in protests outside Trump Tower

Representante Luis Gutierrez, demócrata por Illinois y promotor de negociaciones por una reforma inmigratoria, habla por su teléfono móvil en el Capitolio en Washington, 14 de noviembre de 2014. Gutiérrez dijo el miércoles 19 de noviembre de 2014 que celebrará por los millones de inmigrantes que se beneficiarán con las medidas del presidente Barack Obama, aunque admitió que otro grupo de varios millones quedará excluido. (AP Foto/J. Scott Applewhite) (ap)

Three Democratic congressmen were arrested outside Trump Tower after protesting the president’s immigration policies in New York City on Tuesday.

Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva‏, Illinois Rep. Luis Gutiérrez and New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat were taken into custody by police, according to Grijalva’s campaign Twitter account and a Gutiérrez aide.

Grijalva’s account tweeted that “Raúl was taken into custody in front of Trump Tower for civil disobedience along with Rep. Gutierrez and Rep. Espaillat.”

Douglas Rivlin, Gutiérrez’s communications director, confirmed that the congressman was arrested.

Photos taken at the scene and posted on social media show the Democrats, all of whom are Latino, sitting in the street.

The lawmakers were part of a group protesting the president’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program that shields young illegal immigrants who entered the country as children from deportation.

Trump has argued former President Barack Obama’s executive action was unlawful but has asked Congress to take up the issue.

“We’re taking the necessary steps to make it clear to President Trump, the Republicans and the Democrats that we will continue this peaceful fight for DREAMers and immigrants as long as it takes to enact legislation and put DREAMers in a safe place,” Gutiérrez said in a statement.

Earlier Tuesday, Grijalva’s account said: “At Trump Tower today with a whole lot of DREAMers, immigrants & Americans to say enough to Trump & criminalization of immigrant communities.”

Trump is in New York at the United Nations, where he delivered a speech Tuesday morning.

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Gutiérrez, known for his advocacy for illegal immigrants in the United States, was also arrested in August outside the White House for a protest in support of illegal immigrants.

The House Ethics Committee last week cleared Gutierrez over that arrest.

Gutierrez has also taken heat in recent weeks for lashing out at White House Chief of Staff John Kelly over Trump’s decision to end DACA, calling the retired Marine general “a hypocrite who is a disgrace to the uniform he used to wear.” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., later said the congressman should apologize.

Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.