Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush has launched his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. During his kickoff in Miami, Florida, he joked about how he’s related to two former presidents.

Jeb Bush: “And in this country of ours, the most improbable things can happen, as well. Take that from a guy who met his first president on the day he was born and his second on the day he was brought home from the hospital.”

As Jeb Bush asked the crowd to welcome his mother, Barbara Bush, he was interrupted by 27 immigrant rights activists who stood up, removed their shirts and revealed neon green T-shirts spelling, “Legal Status Is Not Enough.” While the protesters’ chants demanding equality for undocumented people were drowned out by chants of “Jeb” and “U.S.A.,” they forced Bush to go off script and mention immigration.

Jeb Bush: “Just so that our friends know, the next president of the United States will pass meaningful immigration reform so that that will be solved, not by executive order!”

Another dozen immigrant rights supporters, including seven children, were kicked out of the event before it started, apparently over fears they would protest. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch reports deportations for drug possession have soared under the Obama administration, rising 43 percent from 2007 to 2012.