Increasing anti-deportation protests show down side of immigration issue for Democrats -- By Stephen Dinan, The Washington Times

Immigrant rights activists, including some self-identified illegal immigrants, were arrested outside the White House on Monday as part of a protest against President Obama's deportation policies, signaling that even as Republicans take blame for halting legalization legislation, Democrats face political peril, too.

Mr. Obama was out of town, playing golf in California, so he wasn't at the White House during the protests outside the North Lawn, on the sidewalk along Pennsylvania Avenue.

With action on immigration stalled in Congress, attention is turning back to the administration. Activists say Mr. Obama needs to expand his nondeportation policy, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, beyond young adults to include most of the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.

"We are grateful for DACA, but it is not enough," said Bishop Minerva Carcano, the first Hispanic woman to become a bishop in the United Methodist Church.

The protests were led by religious leaders and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.
More than 30 activists and illegal immigrants gathered in front of the White House chanting slogans, singing hymns and displaying signs to protest deportations.

 After repeated warnings, the U.S. Park Police — who had been alerted to the protest and had more than a dozen vehicles at the ready — moved in and began to gently arrest the protesters. Officers used plastic hand restraints and took the protesters to a table set up on the street for processing.

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