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The Homeland Security Chief Who Defended Trump’s Zero Tolerance Border Policy Ate at a Mexican Restaurant. Then Protesters Showed Up

2 minute read

Shouting protesters drove Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen out of a Mexican restaurant where she was dining on Tuesday night, the day after she defended the Trump administration’s controversial zero-tolerance immigration policy that has led to the separation of thousands of children from their parents.

Nielsen was seated at the back of Washington, D.C., restaurant MXDC Cocina Mexicana when protesters from the Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America burst in holding signs and chanting pro-immigrant sentiments, according to a video posted by the group. “The irony isn’t lost on us that this is a Mexican restaurant,” the caption reads.

The video shows Nielsen sitting quietly amidst booing, questioning from protesters and cries of “shame.” She eventually left the restaurant after about 10 minutes and entered an SUV, CNN reports.

After the incident, Department of Homeland Security spokesman Tyler Houlton tweeted that Nielsen had been having a work dinner at the restaurant. “[Nielsen] encourages all — including this group — who want to see an immigration system that works, contributes to our economy, protects our security, & reflects our values reach out to Members & seek their support to close immigration loopholes that made our system a mess,” he wrote in a separate tweet.

 

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Write to Jamie Ducharme at jamie.ducharme@time.com