RIVER NORTH (WBBM Newsradio) -- The organizers of an annual conference of Hispanic college students in Chicago say the Trump Administration's immigration crackdown has had an impact on this weekend's convention.
Nearly 2,000 students from across the country are at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, 301 E. North Water St., for the 44th annual U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute conference. USHLI board chairman R. Louie Gonzalez said Friday the organization is dedicated to giving emerging leaders "hope and ... energy to do bigger and better things."
But the group's president, Dr. Juan Andrade, said the impact of Trump Administration policies on the group's convention has been "unfortunate."
"There are ten states that were here last year that are not here this year ... these are colleges and universities," Dr. Andrade said, noting that cuts in DEI programs have kept away all but one group of students from the state of Ohio. "Other states have prohibited students from flying to Chicago," citing concerns that convention attendees could go to anti-ICE protests in the city and get swept up by federal agents.
"They would be detained, wind up in Louisiana or somewhere, and the semester would be over before they (the schools) could find them," he said. "We have attorneys in the house ... because it's been a struggle, quite honestly."
But Dr. Andrade and other leaders are trying to stay hopeful: "We're very grateful to all of them that under the circumstances they were still able to travel."
And as for how to motivate young people during current events, Gonzalez said this: "It's OK to be fearful. It's not OK to stay there."
The convention runs through the weekend.