Young illegal immigrants arrested in Ga. protest (Six are charged in rally against strict state law)

ATLANTA — Six young illegal immigrants were arrested Tuesday after they sat down and blocked traffic near the Georgia state Capitol to publicly declare their status and to protest state policies targeting people who are in the U.S. illegally, the latest in a string of such “coming out” events in Georgia and other parts of the country.
The young people were protesting a policy that bars Georgia’s most competitive state colleges and universities from accepting illegal immigrants and they were opposing strict new state legislation. A federal judge on Monday blocked two key provisions of that law. They risk arrest and deportation for their protest.
Federal judges have now blocked parts of similar laws in Arizona, Utah, Indiana and Georgia from taking effect.
Civil liberties groups have pledged to sue to block others in Alabama and South Carolina.

Various charges

“It’s time to stand up and let the world know that we need to fight for what we believe in,” said Nataly Ibarra, a 16-year-old high school student.
Four of the young people arrested are high school students, one is a recent high school graduate and one is a 24-year-old college graduate. All six face charges of reckless conduct, obstructing law enforcement and obstructing the street. The three who are under 18 were to be released to their parents. Two 18-year-olds and the 24-year-old were to be taken to the Fulton County Jail.

Barbara Gonzalez, press secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, issued a statement after the arrests: “ICE takes enforcement action on a case by case basis — prioritizing those who present the most significant threats to public safety as determined by their criminal history and taking into consideration the specific facts of each case, including immigration history.”