University of Michigan protest: Watch video of the tuition equality rally and arrests
Seven students and one University of Michigan alumnus were arrested for blocking traffic in Ann Arbor as they protested the school's current tuition policies for unauthorized immigrants.
Roughly 50 protesters clogged the intersection of State Street and South University Avenue, outside the Michigan Union, on Wednesday evening. Each called for U-M to offer in-state tuition rates for unauthorized immigrants who attend high school in Michigan.
At about 6:40 p.m. police instructed the protesters to leave the intersection or face arrest. All but eight left and went to the sidewalk. The eight protesters remaining were arrested on misdemeanors of disorderly conduct and not complying with police orders.
See a video report below:
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
Usual Suspect
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:48 p.m.
Oh, no, not the "what do we want / when do we want it?" bit? Can't thees people ever come up with something original? Here's a pro tip for these youngsters: blocking traffic and making people late for work or school does NOT endear people to your cause.
motorcycleminer
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:33 p.m.
Face it folks ..this is OZ......just like spring, its the beginning of protest season.. like the birds and flowers all the wacko's rise up from the ground or return to enrich the pages of this august publication with their insanities...
Robert Granville
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 11:28 a.m.
If undocumented immigrants don't pay any taxes, as some of you suggest, then where did the earnings suspense fund come from?
Davidian
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 11:12 a.m.
This article made me furious. Tuition equality for illegal immigrants? How about reasonable tuition for Michigan residents? What about Americans who are suffering? this argument that they do jobs no one else will do is obviously garbage - they want to attend prestigious universities! Get in line like everyone else. Honestly, I don't care about the fate of illegal immigrants. They can all be deported tomorrow and I would smile. Only rich white people and foreigners would think this is acceptable. And average Americans will think this is insane.
newsboy
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 5:14 a.m.
Way to go people!!! Nice to see freedom at work, our founders would be impressed!
tom swift jr.
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 3:48 a.m.
wow, a lot of hate here, considering that each one of your families, I suspect, were, at one time, immigrants, probably some of them illegal.
ez12c
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:24 p.m.
Nope sorry to disappoint you my ancestors came here with documentation through Ellis Island and went through the process of becoming citizens.
Usual Suspect
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:21 p.m.
"I suspect, were, at one time, immigrants, probably some of them illegal." Epic fail. From England, LEGAL immigrant, worked hard, raised a family with no felonious offspring, contributed to society. From Sweden, LEGAL immigrant, learned the local language, worked hard, raised a family with no felonious offspring, contributed to society. From Germany, LEGAL immigrant, learned the local language, raised a family with no felonious offspring, worked hard, raised a family with no felonious offspring, contributed to society. From Ireland, LEGAL immigrant, learned the local language, worked hard, raised a family with no felonious offspring, contributed to society.
Davidian
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 11:12 a.m.
Wrong
Jazz_Fan
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 4:12 a.m.
Why should people that don't follow the rules get special treatment?
The Great Gazoo
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 2:24 a.m.
Send them all back to their motherland. Close the borders until America is safe and my tax dollars are used for AMERICAN people and not people who Cheat, Lie and Steal from hard working tax payers.
Sue
Fri, Apr 19, 2013 : 6:29 a.m.
I agree, but we'd have to cut off many Americans who lie, cheat and steal for free money and benefits as well.
arborani
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 2:34 a.m.
Sorry - "keeping America safe."
arborani
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 2:33 a.m.
From today's headlines, looks like the really hard part is keeping American safe from Americans.
Jack Gladney
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 1:51 a.m.
What's up with the 'protester' at 1:23 in the video pretending to be in hand cuffs as she's led away by the cop? Nice staged effect there. You are the hero of a clueless generation.
ez12c
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:22 p.m.
Staged indeed
Technojunkie
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 1:34 a.m.
How about these protesters write checks for scholarships for these "unauthorized immigrants" rather than demanding that the government confiscate even more of my labor by force? Some of us don't have trust funds. If such students are truly smart enough to earn admission to the UofM for something useful like a STEM degree and aren't just decoration for progressive sensibilities then people might actually help out of their own free will.
Billy
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 1:14 a.m.
"Each called for U-M to offer in-state tuition rates for unauthorized immigrants who attend high school in Michigan." That's just AWESOME.... So...because you've already exploited the state by not paying taxes but still using state services (attending high school in Michigan)....THAT is the reason you should get the rate at U of M meant for tax payers in this state? Uh what?
ak3647
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 2:59 p.m.
Undocumented immigrants DO pay taxes. Anyone who buys anything anywhere has to pay sales tax, including undocumented immigrants. You can't get around that, even if you are here illegally. If they own a home, then they pay property tax directly. If they rent, then they are paying property taxes indirectly through their rent payments, just like any other renter. Again, that's not something you can avoid even if you are here illegally. The only way they could avoid paying income taxes is if they are being paid under the table, but that's true of American citizens as well who do this. If the undocumented immigrants are using fake social security numbers, then they ARE paying income taxes.
Davidian
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:12 p.m.
Undocumented workers pay taxes??? Fail.
ordmad
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 4:37 a.m.
Don't confuse the zealots with facts. It really throws off their game.
kathryn
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 2:22 a.m.
Undocumented workers do pay taxes in most cases.
jsmith2022
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 1:10 a.m.
Why weren't they deported? last I knew if you are caught here illegally you get deported.
Sue
Fri, Apr 19, 2013 : 6:26 a.m.
ak3674, even law enforcement's hands are tied, it seems nobody has the authority to deport illegals any more. All we're allowed to do is keep giving them whatever they demand and treat them like honorary American citizens who immigrated here legally. We let them take our jobs, fill our hospitals, schools and jails, cost taxpayers millions of dollars as they suck our social security system, that we've all paid into all these years, dry. We're just supposed to keep giving, giving, giving and not expect anything in return, like requiring them to learn to speak our language and fly our flag and respect our laws.
ak3647
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 2:52 p.m.
Because universities, much like hospitals, are not empowered to enforce federal immigration law. A university is not a law enforcement agency, it is a university.
justcurious
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 1:07 a.m.
I guess that "unauthorized immigrants" must be the Ann Arbor term for "illegal immigrants" who don't want to follow the procedures that other immigrants follow?
Arborcomment
Fri, Apr 19, 2013 : 1:23 a.m.
As explained in the comments section in a story about a month ago (something about a photo show of trash left by "unauthorized" or "undocumented" immigrants along southern crossing zones) A2.com editors explained that a board of editors meeting of MLive holdings decided to use the "unauthorized" or "undocumented" terminology vice illegal. Reader's comments using the term "illegal" were even deleted. About a week later, the Associated Press announced they too would be using the term "undocumented". Welcome to PC land.
Kellie Woodhouse
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 3:39 p.m.
Our style was changed within the last year or so so we could have consistency in all of our articles and also with Mlive.com. In all current articles and posts going forward, you'll see the term unauthorized immigrant.
1982 Brew Crew
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:45 p.m.
Kellie, as you well know it is a political statement to refer to an illegal immigrant--that is, a person in violation of federal statuory law, as "unauthorized." They are not the same words. They don't mean the same thing. Please don't pretend that AA.com doesn't know this. If you want to go with "unauthorized" even though it misstates the status, then at least own it and don't pretend it has anything to do with consistency.
Usual Suspect
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:15 p.m.
That's not style, that's editorializing.
Davidian
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:11 p.m.
"Unauthorized Immigrants?" This is a reflection of politics, not semantics.
Billy
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 1:20 a.m.
You mean that's your style now? Because I've seen "illegal immigrant" used plenty of times on annarbor.com So I don't understand your claim of using "unauthorized" for consistency... I have a feeling the real reason is because of the little stunt AP pulled with their style guide.
Kellie Woodhouse
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 1:10 a.m.
Unauthorized, undocumented, illegal immigrants are all referring to the same group of people. It is AnnArbor.com's style to use "unauthorized." We do this for consistency.
Usual Suspect
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:30 a.m.
More liberals wanting more handouts. They want my money to go to paying for a illegal alien's education. I don't recall the citizens of their countries pitching in to help with my tuition.
Usual Suspect
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 12:25 p.m.
Spelling and grammar errors are the norm on this site. I'm just trying to fit in.
ordmad
Thu, Apr 18, 2013 : 4:36 a.m.
That's "an" illegal alien. Seems like you didn't need tuition.