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Wisconsin Students Call On Speaker Ryan To Bring ‘Clean Dream Act’ To A Vote

Democratic Paul Ryan Challengers Arrested At Walkout In Racine

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About 40 students participated in the Riverside High School walk out at 10 a.m. Monday, AMarch 5, 2018, but only half had permission slips to continue to the next high school. Ximena Conde/WPR

More than 150 high school students from Milwaukee and Racine walked out of their classes Monday. They were demanding House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, allow a vote on legislation to prevent deportation of people brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

Monday was the date set by President Donald Trump to end protections set by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. But the rollback of DACA has been challenged and is making its way through the courts.


The sign reads ‘Paul Ryan, clean Dream Act now!’ in Spanish. Ximena Conde/WPR

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The idea for a walkout came from students, says Crystal Tinajero an organizer with Youth Empowered in the Struggle, a youth immigrant rights advocacy group — its sister arm is Voces de la Frontera, which also advocates for immigrant rights.

The protesters were calling for a vote on what they call a “clean Dream Act.”

The 2017 proposal would create a pathway to citizenship for the DACA recipients but would also eliminate funding for a boarder wall and detention centers from negotiations.

In Milwaukee, students from Riverside, South Division and Reagan high schools planned staggered walkouts where students took turns sharing their immigrant experiences and demanding action on DACA.

In front of South Division High School students from Thailand, Somalia and Malaysia told the crowd of students and cameras about the conditions in their native countries and their experiences in the U.S.

“Poverty, the lack of opportunities, the lack of resources, and organized crime were more than enough reasons for us to make the difficult decision to leave our country,” said Jacqueline Morales in Spanish.


During the walkouts, students took issue with President Donald Trump’s rhetoric towards Muslim majority countries as well as African countries. Some Muslim students wore shirts that read ‘Muslim & Proud.’ Ximena Conde/WPR

Shahena Mohamed Ayub, who came to the U.S. from Malaysia as a child, criticized Trump’s rhetoric.

“Since (President Trump) had started speaking so negatively about immigrants, Muslims and Africans, Americans without understanding our problems — people have treated me and my family differently,” she said.

Students rode buses from Milwaukee to Horlick High School in Racine where the final walk out was held before the group rallied in front of Ryan’s office.

Several hundred people marched in Racine, chanting “No justice, no peace,” and “Paul Ryan’s got to go.”

In front of Ryan’s office is where more than 20 people were arrested, according to a Voces de la Frontera organizer.

Among those arrested were educators and two Democrats squaring off in a primary for the chance to oust Ryan from his congressional seat, Randy Bryce, a union ironworker, and Cathy Myers, a Janesville school board member.

In a statement, Myers said:

“Paul Ryan has promised to protect DREAMers, but when they have needed him the most, he has ignored them. I hope our action today will make it clear that we will not allow Paul Ryan to ignore DREAMers any longer. He needs to do a job and allow a vote on a clean DREAM Act.”

Bryce said Ryan should be doing more.

“We’re making a point that we have a lot of families that are scared,” Bryce said. “This is the only home that these people know that were brought here at an average age of 6 years old. Family values include keeping families together.”

About two dozen people were arrested for blocking traffic and were hauled off in police transport vans, cited and later released.

Trump called on Congress to create a replacement program after he rescinded DACA but lawmakers have failed to reach agreement on legislation.

Rallies like the ones in Wisconsin happened across the country.

Editor’s Note: This story was last updated at 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 6, 2018, with additional reporting by WPR staff. Reporter Dave Cole contributed to this report.