About 200 students and immigrants' rights protestors shut down a section of Wilshire Boulevard in front of the Federal Building Thursday to rally in support of a federal measure that would make it easier for illegal immigrants to become citizens.
The rally was organized by several UCLA students and other protestors to show their support for the DREAM act, bipartisan legislation that "creates a conditional path to citizenship" for young people, according to their website.
Under the act, undocumented young people have to graduate college or complete two years of military service to gain citizenship, the website stated.
The students also protested Arizona's new anti-illegal immigration law that empowers police to check on the immigration status of suspects they stop for other reasons.
Demonstrators blocked traffic along Wilshire Boulevard, marching in a circle. Police closed streets around the Federal Building, and motorists were advised to find alternate routes into Westwood.
The group did not have a permit to hold their rally, and the LAPD got a call around 10:45 a.m. saying an immigrants' rights demonstration was under way.
Officer April Harding said police had "sufficient resources" at the scene to maintain order during the demonstration at Wilshire Boulevard and Veteran Avenue.
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The California Highway Patrol advised motorists to use alternate routes into Westwood, as traffic had been backed up onto the 405 in both directions near the Wilshire Boulevard exits.
