Police arrested eight people who came to Tuesday's Georgia Board of Regents meeting to protest the system's policies that restrict those without legal immigration status.

“This is segregation,” said the Rev. Jonathan Rogers, the first speaker to interrupt the meeting.

Far fewer people were caught or turned away at the southwest U.S. border in February 2017 than in February 2016.

Board members left the meeting when the protest began. When they returned, the demonstrators continued their protests. Several demonstrators repeated the phrase “To come for one of us is to come for all of us,” before their removal.

The demonstrators were taken to the Fulton County Jail.

The demonstrators were a mix of faith leaders and current and former University System of Georgia students. Similar protests have been held at recent Board of Regents meetings.

Jessica Colotl talks immigration reform

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University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue at a Board of Regents meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Atlanta. The Georgia system is joining forces with leaders in five Southern states to start their own accreditation agency. (Jason Getz/AJC)

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