LAPD arrests 9 in immigration march that blocked Westside traffic

The Los Angeles Police Department has arrested at least nine demonstrators who blocked Wilshire Boulevard Thursday as part of a immigrant rights march.

The protest jammed traffic in Westwood and surrounding communities, with both Wilshire Boulevard and the 405 Freeway affected. Metro announced that some bus routes were being detoured. California Highway Patrol Lt. Steve Strull said officials want to clear traffic so ambulances headed to Reagan-UCLA Medical Center are not delayed.

Nancy Meza, 23, a UCLA student who is scheduled to graduate in three weeks with a degree in Chicano studies, said the civil disobedience was organized in an effort to push for passage of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, commonly known as the DREAM Act.

The DREAM Act is federal legislation that would provide certain undocumented alien students who graduate from U.S. high schools and have been in the country continuously for at least five years before the bill's enactment the opportunity to earn conditional permanent residency. 

The students would obtain temporary residency for a six-year period. Meza, who said she arrived in the U.S. from Mexico when she was 2 years old and is undocumented, said it was the legislation was needed to ensure that students like herself would eventually be able to work.

“I’m graduating in three weeks, but I can’t even work,” Meza said. “We are urging Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D-Calif.] to push for passage of the DREAM Act this year.”

Officer Krystal Carter, a spokeswoman for the CHP, said the students had been arrested for “failing to disperse…and not complying with police orders.” Carter could not confirm the number of students arrested.

-- Ann M. Simmons and Andrew Blankstein

Comments

[Bruce]

I hope they deport Meza. Gee even if she was legal what kind of work do you find with a Chicano studies degree. Taxpayer dollars funding illegals to get a Chicano Studies degree. What a joke. Illegals taking spots of more deserving American citizens.

[El Random Hero]

it's not a march !!! it was civil disobedience. Get it DREAMers !!

[sandleto]

check their immigration status and deport if necessary!

[Concerned Citizen]

Too bad CA doesn't have AZ's law - Nancy would be headed back to Mexico with her worthless (and probably US/CA taxpayer funded) degree.

[commonman13]

DREAM Act should really be called a DISASTER Act.

[sfindependent]

Ms. Meza's status begs the question, does she pay the in state resident UC fees or the non resident fee? If the latter, then I have no serious complaint. If the former, her situation epitomizes everything wrong about our taxes going to supply illegals with services well beyond what this state has ever been able to afford. Other legal UC students, their parents all taxpayers are all paying for her subsidization.

If her status does become legal, I fear to find a decent job she'll need emigrate to a state that is isn't so stupid.

[Joe]

Nancy Meza, 23, a UCLA student who is scheduled to graduate in three weeks with a degree in Chicano studies.

Another parasite without the decency to thank the California taxpayer for paying for her college education. And what exactly would she do with a degree in Chicano studies, write a book about the history of grafitti and drive-by shootings?

[jacematthew]

Deport 'em all!

[Tornadoes28]

Good. Deport them.

[Anu]

How the h*** did Meza get into UCLA? And... what about MY KIDS, huh? Seriously, these people are deranged.

[Captain Howdy]

DREAM Act? Really? How is this young lady paying for school? How can an Illegal Alient get grants? Why si the federal government thinking that this would be a good idea? Since she is illegal how much money has she cost the rest of us? And how much has her family paid into the system? Just answers that I would like.

[Kevin Kenney]

People seem to always have their hands out for the freebies...don't they. Maybe I should enter the illegal world by not paying my taxes from now on.

[Ronin]

I'm sorry, but why don't you GO HOME and work? You could better Mexico and possibly make it so people who live there will want to stay. As for DREAM? We have people HERE WHO PAY TAXES so THEIR children can to to school.

[greencardigan]

That's just great -- my tax dollars go for Meza to attend UCLA preventing a LEGAL immigrant or a CITIZEN from going to UCLA and then demands rights??? She can't even work after graduating. Maybe she should have thought that before going to college on the taxpayers dime.

[deBeer]

Heah Meza. Who is stopping you from working in your country....MEXICO?

[sailbyme]

I guess title one schools, WIC, welfare, free medical at any ER just isn't enough. We may as well educate them too. I'm sure mexico would show us the same consideration.

[JAMES FERGUSON]

GET RID OF HER IMMEDIATELY!!! Now that Meza has been arrested, and admitted to being here illegally, she should be fast tracked for a bus ride back to Mexico. She can march in the streets of her own country and create all of the problems she desires.

[D. Wilson]

I applaud her bravery, but that's a real silly way to advocate for DREAM. I understand the frustration, but pissing off random people, potentially delaying ambulances, etc. just serves to turn people away from it.

[run26mi]

So it's OK to ignore the laws you don't agree with or that are an inconvenience??? Well, I don't like the ban on certain guns and high capacity magazines, so from now on my 30 round 9mm Glock magazine, and my AK47 should be call 'undocumented home protection devices'!!!! I demand amnesty, I demand that Los Angeles become a 'sanctuary city' for undocumented home protection devices!!!!!!

[Leo]

Don't arrest students, cops. Arrest real criminals like Bush or Cheney, more than a million slaughtered in Iraq-Afghanistan.

[Anna]

...with a degree in Chicano studies... you liberals have completely lost your minds and should be ashamed enabling teaching of such garbage!

[John]

She can work in Mexico.

[AgnesW]

Chicano Studies

[John M]

"Nancy Meza, 23, a UCLA student who is scheduled to graduate in three weeks with a degree in Chicano studies, said the civil disobedience was organized in an effort to push for passage of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, commonly known as the DREAM Act."

So, the free education at my expense wasn't enough? You have to lie down in the middle of Wilshire and back up the 405 all the way to the South Bay Curve, all to get additional largesse from the oppressor class?

Nancy, you are a graceless, ungrateful little wretch.

[chuck]

This just goes to show us that these illegals think they have the same rights as a U.S. citizen. Its about time to round them up and deport all that do not belong here.