Irish students involved in arrests, date rapes, drunkenness in Chicago

Wild summer as J-1 students cut loose in Windy City

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MOLLY MULDOON,

Irish Voice Reporter

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Irish J1 students painted Chicago green this summer

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Arrests, date rape allegations, trespassing and sickness were just some of the issues experienced by J-1 students in Chicago this summer, according to an Irish immigrant center.

Chicago Irish Immigrant Support (CIIS) has reported that Irish J-1 students flocked to the Windy City in unprecedented numbers this summer to take advantage of a three month work visa, which is a tradition for many third level students.

“We noticed a surge last summer but we saw record numbers this year,” Breandán Magee, executive director of CIIS told the Irish Voice on Tuesday.

In previous years, CIIS surveyed around 700 summer J-1 students, but during the past few months they estimate that around 2,300 Irish students traveled to Chicago.

“There was a huge strain on our services at the beginning,” Magee explained.

Students were faced with normal J-1 problems, such as finding accommodation and work.

However, some students faced more serious issues during what is supposed to be a summer of cultural exchange.

“Eight young men were arrested,” Magee explained. Charged with drunk and disorderly behavior, the students had to appear in court.

“The charges were dropped in court,” Magee said. “Which was good for them, considering a lot of them were doctors and lawyers in training and it could have affected their future.”

According to Magee, Irish students had a brush with both sides of the law, with some young women claiming they had been sexually assaulted.

“We also had over a dozen young girls submit allegations of date rape,” Magee explained.

“We had a dozen people hospitalized for dehydration.  One girl has done permanent damage to her kidneys as a result of dehydration.”

Other instances involved students being arrested for trespassing at the annual Lollapalooza music festival in the city. In another incident, three individuals suffered injuries when they were hit by a car.

“This year thankfully there were no deaths,” Magee reflected, referring to the tragic death of Galway student Keith O'Reilly, 21, who suffered fatal injuries in July 2009 after he dove off a pier in North Avenue Beach into shallow water.

“I shudder to think what it will be like next year, if they keep coming in the numbers they are coming.” Magee said.

“Within the first week, we had about 100 J-1 students that were homeless,” Magee added, explaining that the center’s resources reached saturation point this summer.

Students participating in the J-1 program tend to pay around €1,500 ($1,882) between program fees, insurance and flight costs before they arrive at their destination. 

“Travel agencies are profiting from students’ tickets and visa fees, but when they are homeless we have to step up to the plate,” Magee said.

Accommodation issues arose again this year, with many students crowding into cramped apartments in an effort to cut costs on rent.

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