Peaceful rallies in more than 60 US cities took place yesterday, to protest against House Republicans' plans to classify all undocumented immigrants as felons, to build fortified wall between US, Mexico. Tens of thousands gathered in major cities, carrying banners reading "We are America" and waving American flags and flags of their countries of origin.

The Financial Times of London reports "Hundreds of thousands of people marched in rallies across the US on Monday to demand greater rights for illegal immigrants, part of an unprecedented demonstration of the growing political power of Hispanics in the US."

The rallies have been compared to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and have highlighted concerns throughout the country that US immigration policy is not adequately democratic, humane or in keeping with people's perception of their own country.

Legislation in the House of Representatives seeks to criminalize not only document discrepancies, but also any attempt to aid or shelter anyone in violation of immigration laws. Hispanic groups, church groups and community organizations have said such policies are an assault on families and on the value of keeping families in touch and together.

Spurred on by previous rounds of massive rallies, and seeing citizens come together with undocumented workers to demand fair treatment, the US Hispanic community has led the push for equal rights for immigrants. They object to indefinite detention, legal limbo, cases where imprisonment greets asylum seekers looking for refuge from political oppression.

Spanish-language TV and radio have taken up the issue and have actively promoted news about the growing movement. The general public, the news media, the Senate and the White House have been trying to come to grips with the anomaly in American law, which traditionally welcomes immigrants but which is making life ever more difficult for new immigrants.

In Dallas and North Carolina, there were calls for an economic boycott, with the intention of demonstrating the effect immigrant and established Hispanic communities could have on the financial sector. The Dallas march alone was estimated to include between 350,000 and 500,000 people, demonstrating in support of immigrants' rights, hoping to show that Texan politicians must actively address the needs of this community.

Even small cities, like Garden City, Kansas, a rural enclave of little more than 30,000 people, had demonstrations numbering in the thousands; an estimated 3,000 marched for immigrants' rights in Garden City, with similar numbers in South Bend, Indiana —where demonstrators reportedly carried banners reading "We were all immigrants once"—, and Lexington, Kentucky.

Reuters quotes a 68-year-old Haitian immigrant who has prospered in New York, as saying "You are never free until you are legal. I came to get a better life. Everyone deserves the same". Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) addressed the Washington rally and evoked the name of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his call on the people of the United State "to let freedom ring".

Many demonstrators wore white t-shirts which have been advised by organizers throughout the campaign and are intended as a symbol of the peaceful nature of the protests. This has been considered by organizers and activists to be a fundamental part of the new movement, which has as its goal the establishment of a popular awareness that immigrants are not dangerous to society, but rather are a part of the community. [s]

• Reuters: "Immigration rallies sweep through U.S. cities"
• Bloomberg: "U.S. Immigration Protests Fill Streets, Seek Reforms"
• SFC: "HUGE CROWDS MARCH FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM: Up to 2 million nationwide vow to use ballot-box power"
• FT: "Mass protests reveal growing Hispanic power in US"
• El País: "Decenas de miles de personas se manifiestan en EE UU en defensa de los inmigrantes"
• Univisión: "Miles exigieron la reforma migratoria: Preparan boicot nacional el 1 de mayo"
• Univisión: "Medio millón en Dallas"
• El Mostrator: "EEUU: Masivas protestas de extranjeros contra reformas migratorias"

BACKGROUND:
IMMIGRATION REFORM COULD EASE HARDSHIP FOR MILLIONS
MASS DEMONSTRATIONS IN RECENT WEEKS HAVE SHOWN HOW SERIOUS THE ISSUE IS FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS & RESIDENTS
6 April 2006

In recent weeks, the United States has seen the streets of major cities flooded with protesters, demanding more humane immigration reform than that offered by the House of Representatives. The bill currently before the Senate could offer such a solution, and would provide an opportunity for millions more people to become US citizens. [Full Story]

NEW PROTEST MOVEMENT SHOWS VITAL HISPANIC POPULATION
NATIONWIDE PROTESTS, INCLUDING MARCHES, SCHOOL WALKOUTS, SIT-INS, RALLIES WITH SPEAKERS, REACT TO PUSH TO CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
31 March 2006

The issue of "immigration reform" began sweeping the mindset and the Latin media markets of the United States in December, when the House of Representatives passed a bill that would classify all undocumented immigrants as "aggravated felons", and make it a crime to provide assistance of any kind to them, regardless of personal relationship or imminent need of serious assistance. [Full Story]