WASHINGTON — Sen. Ted Cruz's speech at the Value Voters Summit was repeatedly interrupted by immigration activists Friday morning — a rare flare-up for an issue that has largely laid dormant in Washington since the House of Representatives abandoned bipartisan efforts on immigration reform.
At least six protesters took turns standing up and interrupting Cruz's speech, each beginning their comments with some version of, "Senator Cruz, why do you oppose a pathway to citizenship..." In each case, the crowd of conservatives drowned out the activists as security guards escorted them out.
When the first protester interrupted him, he joked, "President Obama's paid political operatives are out in full force today."
At another point, Cruz asked, "Who's left staffing the Obama For America office?"
One protester told reporters the activists came from several different groups, including United We Dream.
Cruz opposes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants but supports some form of legal status for many immigrants.