President Joe Biden said he was only “teasing” protesters who interrupted his campaign rally Thursday.
The protesters shouted “End detention now!” as well as “Communities, not cages!” and “Abolish ICE!” while Biden spoke at a campaign rally in Georgia.
Reporters asked him after the rally why he told the protesters he agreed with them and to “give him another five days.”
“I was teasing them,” Biden replied.
“I think they were just very emotionally excited,” he added.
Biden explained he thought the protesters were demanding the end of private prisons and said he supported them.
“That’s why I stopped and let them go on a little bit,” Biden told reporters afterward. “And then, when I found out they wanted me to do it immediately like I could sign a paper and make it happen.”
Even after the rally, Biden appeared unaware the protesters were angry with his administration for detaining unaccompanied minors and deporting illegal immigrants.
“Well when they found out I agreed with them, they finally stopped,” he said. “Because I have been opposed to funding private prisons and that’s what they were talking about.”