Arizona Rep. Isela Blanc Arrested In D.C. DACA Protest

By Bret Jaspers
Published: Monday, March 5, 2018 - 5:23pm
Updated: Tuesday, March 6, 2018 - 9:14am

An Arizona state lawmaker was arrested in Washington, D.C., on Monday.

Rep. Isela Blanc, D-Tempe, was at a protest to mark the deadline President Donald Trump gave Congress to find a permanent solution for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) candidates.

The Arizona immigrant rights group Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) posted a video on Facebook showing protestors blocking an intersection. Blanc and two members of LUCHA were led away by police. They have since been released. A LUCHA spokeswoman said about 100 people were arrested.

Court rulings have struck down President Trump’s declared “end” to the DACA program. It gives work permits to immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

But the courts only said the Administration didn’t go through the proper procedures. It didn’t declare the program safe. And as it stands, no new DACA candidates can enter the program.

Government numbers show there are about 25,620 DACA recipients in Arizona.