Police confront protesters at Phoenix Immigration office

PHOENIX -- Police arrested several protesters Wednesday night after they blocked enforcement vans from leaving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Phoenix.

Media reports say the protest surged after a Mesa mother was taken into custody after a routine check-in with the agency.

Apparently fearing her deportation, activists blocked the gates surrounding the office near central Phoenix in what the Arizona Republic says was an effort to block several vans and a bus inside from leaving.

The paper says that Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos apparently was in one of the vehicles, which are used to transport people in ICE custody to detention centers, or to the border for deportation.

After 9 p.m., police officers amassed on the south side of the facility as protesters continued to block access, chanting "Justice!" and "Power to the people, no one is illegal!"

Police posted on Twitter that they arrested about seven protesters, but they added that most of the protesters were peaceful.