PHILADELPHIA — Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Saturday was confronted at a candidates forum by demonstrators demanding legal status for the millions of illegal immigrants living in the U.S.

But Ms. Warren’s enthusiastic supporters at Netroots Nation, the convention of liberal political activists that hosted the forum, came to her defense.

Interrupting the forum, the demonstrators shouted over Ms. Warren and unfurled a large banner that read: “Legalize 11 million. Reunify all Families. #DignintyNotDeportation.”

They shouted out demands that Ms. Warren commits to legalizing all of the illegal immigrants.

“She’s on your team,” members of the audience shouted back at the demonstrators.

Ms. Warren began to address the demonstrators, but they kept shouting. She vowed that as president she would launch investigations of alleged criminal mistreatment of illegal immigrants by federal agents, employees and contractors who are responsible for their care in government custody.

“Let her talk,” called out an audience member.

Ms. Warren is a favorite of the activists at Netroots Nation, which has a long history of rallying behind the Massachusetts Democrat’s crusade to crack down on Wall Street and corporate America.

She was the most high-profile Democratic presidential candidate to participate in the forum, as most of her rivals avoided the event that is notorious for brazen hecklers and protesters.

Ms. Warren welcomed the opportunity to outline her plan to fix the immigration system, including making it easier to come to America and giving illegal immigrants already here a pathway to citizenship.

She said President Trump’s border policies were a disgrace.

“This is our moment to live our values and that means down at the border when people come here who are desperate … then we need to treat them with humanity, and we need to follow the law,” said Ms. Warren.

She said any federal agents who sexually assault or mistreat immigrants were guilty of breaking the law.

“Donald Trump may be willing to look the other way, but President Elizabeth Warren will not,” she said to thunderous applause.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.