DACA reversal sparks protests outside White House, Trump Tower

President Trump’s decision to rescind a program that shields young immigrants from deportation sparked protests outside of the White House and Trump Tower in Manhattan on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Washington, D.C., after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy will be phased out. The Obama-era program has protected about 800,000 undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country illegally by their parents from deportation and given them the opportunity to obtain work permits.

Washington Post reporter Perry Stein said protesters demonstrating against the DACA reversal blocked a busy intersection in Washington, D.C., in front of the Justice Department, where Sessions announced the president’s decision.

Protesters sitting down in intersection on Pennsylvania Ave in front of Department of Justice: “Si se puede” pic.twitter.com/DSpYqqq7X7

— Perry Stein (@PerryStein) September 5, 2017

Protesters now shutting down Pennsylvania Avenue en route to Trump Hotel pic.twitter.com/iySVLQHcyC

— Perry Stein (@PerryStein) September 5, 2017

{mosads}CNN reporter Jeremy Diamond captured the growing and chanting crowds that have collected near the White House to protest the decision.

Some more angles of pro-#DACA protests outside the White House pic.twitter.com/4PItDdHyFh

— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) September 5, 2017

A show of defiance by #Dreamers and their allies after @realDonaldTrump rescinded #DACA pic.twitter.com/ycvptCCQoJ

— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) September 5, 2017

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez joined in, speaking out against the controversial decision.

Video of Tom Perez speech at DACA protest pic.twitter.com/ke2VAB6myo

— Perry Stein (@PerryStein) September 5, 2017

BuzzFeed reporter Cora Lewis said police in New York were attempting to “move remaining protesters out of streets at the DACA protests outside Trump Tower,” with people chanting, “Whose streets? Our streets.”

Cops attempting to move remaining protesters out of streets at the DACA protests outside Trump Tower. Chants: “Whose streets, our streets” pic.twitter.com/R7IfksiNvl

— Cora Lewis (@cora) September 5, 2017 

Mic reporter Andrew Joyce reported that protesters linked arms and blocked the street in front of Trump Tower. 

#Breaking DACA protesters block street in front of Trump Tower #DefendDACA pic.twitter.com/H9BgjhmGYM

— Andrew Joyce (@AndrewPaulJoyce) September 5, 2017

The Trump administration said it would give Congress six months to act on DACA recipients.