Hillary Clinton was heckled repeatedly by immigration activists while speaking at a campaign rally for Anthony Brown, the Democratic nominee for Maryland governor.

“Immigration is an important issue,” Clinton said as the first wave of protesters were escorted from a University of Maryland gymnasium where the rally for Brown was held. “If they had just waited a little while, I was getting to the Dream Act.”

Clinton’s supporters tried to drown out the protesters — chanting “Hillary! Hillary!” — as she attempted to address their concerns.

“I’m a strong supporter of comprehensive immigration reform,” she continued. “We have to treat everyone with dignity and compassion.”

The former secretary for state was interrupted at least three more times by the so-called dreamers — young, undocumented immigrants who say the Obama administration has not done enough to support them.

“I think she avoided the question like she has in the other events where we’ve tried to connect with her before,” Greisa Martinez, who helped organize Thursday’s protest, told Politico. “I know that Hillary Clinton is a very intelligent woman and she knows exactly what we are talking about. It’s not about the Dream Act and it’s not about immigration reform, it’s about administrative relief.”

While the rally was for Brown, the demonstations provided a preview of what Clinton can expect to face in the next 24 months, should she run for president in 2016.

Clinton wasn’t the only potential presidential candidate heckled this week. On Wednesday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told a heckler critical of the state’s response to Superstorm Sandy to “sit down and shut up.”

“Somebody like you doesn’t know a damn thing about what you’re talking about, except to stand up and show off when the cameras are here,” Christie told the heckler, later identified as Jim Keady, at an event marking the second anniversary of Sandy in Belmar, N.J. “I’ve been here when the cameras aren’t here, buddy, and done the work. Turn around, get your fifteen minutes of fame, and then, maybe, take your jacket off, roll up your sleeves, and do something for the people of this state.”

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• Politics & Government
• Hillary Clinton
• Anthony Brown
• University of Maryland
• immigration reform
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