5 student protesters arrested during downtown LA immigration protest

Los Angeles police officers arrested five student protesters Wednesday at the immigration court building in downtown L.A. They were there to demand that the Obama administration grant relief for young undocumented immigrants in college or the military.

Dozens of demonstrators cheered for the students as police removed them from the building in handcuffs and drove them away. Before those arrests, student protesters met with the acting chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The protesters told ICE officials they want help in relaying their message to the president to stop the deportation of undocumented young people in California, who, they say, deserve to work and get an education.

“They’re asking for an administrative process that they can apply, show their worth to our country by following an application process and thus be able to legalize and get their papers," said immigration attorney Scott McVarish.

The students refused to leave the scene until they were given a direct answer and were arrested for trespassing.

“They are being booked in central jail," said McVarish. "They’ll be fingerprinted and we’ll have to get them out on bail now."

About 50 demonstrators marched in the lobby of the immigration building chanting slogans like “Education, not deportation” and “Unafraid, undocumented.”