Pro-Immigrant Marches Surging Nationwide

For the second time in two weeks an American city was rocked Sunday by a pro-immigrant demonstration of undeniably historic magnitude. As many as a half-million people, wearing white and waving American flags crammed downtown Dallas. A similar, but smaller, outpouring took place in nearby Forth Worth. Scores of thousands of others also came into the streets in Salt Lake City, Miami, St. Paul, Des Moines, Boise, Salem, Detroit and San Diego (with one report saying the crowd neared 100,000 in the latter city).

The Dallas demonstration –- which mushroomed to ten times the size anticipated by authorities -- rivaled the scope of the so-called "Gran Marcha" in Los Angeles two weeks ago – an event that to many observers marked the birth of a new civil rights movement. The L.A. demo was also the largest in the history of the city -- perhaps in all of the western United States.

And on Monday even more massive pro-immigration demonstrations are scheduled for 140 more American cities in a national day of protest. Once again Los Angeles is predicted to be the epicenter of the day's activities. As many as a quarter million of a people are expected there as well as an equal number in New York and Washington DC-- perhaps a total of two million or more nationwide.

The demonstrators are protesting a draconian enforcement measure approved last December by the House and are instead calling for liberalized reform, which would legalize migrants already working in the U.S. and provide expanded channels for future legal immigration.

"It is the largest national mobilization of immigrants in the history of this country," Juan Carlos Ruiz, coordinator of the National Capital Immigrant Coalition, the umbrella group organizing the event in Washington told the Los Angeles Times. "The goal is to show Congress and the media and the White House that we can organize ourselves, because we have not been very well organized in the past."

The protests come just days after the US Senate failed to vote on compromise legislation that would have allowed a majority of the 12 million "illegals" already living in the US to come out of the shadows and normalize their status. Though a bi-partisan coalition of more than 60 Senators supported the measure, partisan political jockeying torpedoed the vote. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Arlen Specter (R-Penn) and Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy have both vowed that after the current two-week recess the Senate will come back and pass a similar measure. Kennedy is scheduled to be among the speakers at Monday's rally in Washington DC

At the same time, however, the Republican leadership in the House is still promising to block any guest worker or legalization program.

Meanwhile, both parties are no doubt closely watching the movement burgeoning before their eyes. And many observers are predicting that the startling outbreak of nationwide street rallies will pressure Congress toward reaching some landmark legislation sooner rather than later. Neither party has any significant influence over the course of the demonstrations.

Sunday and Monday's protests have been organized by a broad coalition of interests – ranging from Latino rights organizations, the Catholic Church and Latino-dominated unions including the Service Employees International Union and HERE-UNITE (representing hotel, restaurant and clothing workers). Spanish-language media are acting as lubricants to the protests, rallying their readers and listeners to the cause.

While the overwhelming majority of demonstrators are Latinos, there has also been a significant presence of Asian immigrants. One out of four Korean immigrants in the U.S. lack proper legal status. And news reports say that hundreds of Koreans are planning to attend Monday's demonstration on the capitol mall.

During one of Sunday's protests, demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama trekked along the same route used by civil rights activists in the 1960's and rallied at a park featuring a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. "We've got to get back in touch with the Statue of Liberty," said the Rev. Lawton Higgs, a United Methodist pastor and activist. "We've got to get back in touch with the civil rights movement, because that's what this is about."

Comments (14)

1. This is the a civil rights movement -- a human rights movement and it was born in the Midwest. The firt massive march took place in Chicago, not in Los Angeles. Police estimate that as many as 500,000 people turned out. If you want to know the true roots of recent immigrant activism you should look at Chicago. There may not be as many undocumented immigrants in Chicago, but it is in that city where crucial organizing has sparked nationwide interest in transnational issues.

   Posted by juancarlos73 at 04/10/2006 @ 05:33am

2. These demonstrations only prove what everybody knows: there are a lot of illegal immigrants here, and they have lots of business interests who profit from them. This is NOT a civil rights movement - illegal immigrants have no civil rights. They are criminals, and should be arrested. And when they wave the Mexican flag, they show that they have no alleigence to this country. The politicians know who matter: the voters. And the politicians don't want to face the voters after giving amnesty to illegal immigrants.

   Posted by philbq at 04/10/2006 @ 07:54am

3. Frankly, I'm a little amazed by the attitudes of Mr Cooper and Mr Rothberg (as well as other progressives) on this.

   True, the AFL-CIO has come out as "pro-immigrant", but everything I've read shows that illegal immigration, even with a "guest worker" program as advocated by Ted Kennedy and others....HURTS unions, by allowing "cheap labor" to flood the country.

   I know the Service Union and others hope to get these undocumented workers to join up...but most won't, given they have little cultural experience with unions, and that union membership would hurt their chances for a job, not help it.

   I WOULD have thought that "The Nation" (which claims to be both intellectual as well as liberal) would be pushing a more "let's clean up Mexico" and other pro-American worker agenda...rather a knee-jerk "Let's help these poor people by letting them stay here" view, that if examined intellectually, ends up hurting a KEY component of the Left....namely unions.

   Posted by Mask at 04/10/2006 @ 09:38am

4. Can you say GOVERNMENT ORCHSTRATED DIVERSIONARY TACTIC?

   You've got the Main Stream Media trumpeting the exact place and time of these demonstrations around the country.

   Have they EVER done this to inform those who might wish to participate in an ANTI-WAR protest?

   NEVER.

   Will they inform the public in the future as to the time and place to meet to protest the WAR?

   NOT A CHANCE.

   Your media is complicit with your government in a fraud against American CITIZENS.

   They are creating this immigration crisis...INTENTIONALLY.

   War? What War?

   Lies? What Lies?

   Crush labor, lower the working wage, win over the Latino vote and distract the masses from the imminent Nuking of Iran...setting up the justification to declare MARTIAL LAW just before the bombs start flying.

   Nicely done, Karl...you evil prick!

   Posted by plunger at 04/10/2006 @ 10:05am

5. Frankly, I'm surprised the Nation hasn't been MORE of a leader in supporting comprehensive immigration reform, instead of relegating it to a blog posting (which is great, but how 'bout a front page feature?). Reactionaries will try to convince us all that illegal immigrants are stealing our jobs, undermining unions, and making us pay our tax dollars to support them, but in fact, they are forming an economic base they rarely benefit from -- i.e. they pay into social security but don't get to collect, while the baby boomers retirement is paid for by these "illegal" workers. Will the Nation please, PLEASE, stand up and inform their readers about the diversions and misunderstood "facts" that circulate on Fox News and right-wing talk radio? I've been a faithful Nation reader for years, and I want to hear more about why legalization is NOT a threat to our country or an undeserved "amnesty." Don't let Krauthammer (his op-ed is in the Trib today) and his supporters have the last word. Do what the Nation does best and speak up for the most vulnerable who are owed more than our mercy--give them a voice.

   Posted by kcovey at 04/10/2006 @ 12:42pm

6. Isn't it the purpose & intent of the Constitution to state the laws we use to protect & preserve the United States? Isn't it made pretty clear that crossing our sovereign borders, as recognized internationally, is a violation of U.S. & international law? And, isn't it our government's responsibility to protect U.S. citizens, their rights & their laws?

   Do we, the United States, have any obligation to permit illegal aliens unobstructed entry?

   Does anyone else remember the U.S. retirees that Mexico evicted from their villas in Baja California a few years ago? The Mexican government denied those people their personal possessions, too!

   To me, it makes no difference whether or not the U.S. economy "needs" the illegals. They have violated our laws & international law. ROUND THEM UP & SHIP THEM HOME! If we need low wage workers so badly, let the laws be changed after ALL illegals have been returned to their native country & our borders are secure!

   Posted by Uriah at 04/10/2006 @ 3:50pm

7. AT YOUR PERIL, YOU CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE REAL QUESTION:

   WHAT IS THE "RIGHT MIX/ RATIO" ?

   What's the "Best Formula" for socital success?

   Rather than the close to 20 million +/- illeagls that are really here --- with more comming everyday --- mostly Mexican.

   What should the correct number (30,40,50 million) be?

   Maybe we want to add more Asians, Middle Easterns or Pacific Islanders and subtract a few Africans.

   How about repatriating all Euro American's, they've had way to much time at on top, so why not give other's a try.

   Beside, everybody knows 400 years ago some GREEDY WHITE GUYS thought the best way to riches was importing slaves --- fuck the future!

   So yea, let's get rid of'em, they've been asking for it, and they'er either to stupid, to greedy or to tired to put up much of a struggle.

   Isn't that why "CRASH" got best picture; because we learned nothing from the voting right's act, segreation, Jim Crow,the Civil War, Dread Scott, 3/5's compromise etc. etc, etc.

   Watch your local news and Tavis Smiley for a week and you'll see how well things have worked out --- no one's happy !

   STUPID BUSH!

   STUPID WHITE GUYS'S!

   And their son's & daughter's are at it again how can we survive without: Mexican roofer's, Latina house maids and Asian waiters ?

   Who can I work to make me richer or my life more comfortable, because American's won't work anymore --- even though our father's and grandfather's could/ would.

   DEMOGRAPHY IS DESTINY!

   And there's no future for Euro American's in America Anymore !

   Posted by Tekphobe at 04/10/2006 @ 4:13pm

8. Unlike several of your commentators, I found this account of the protests informative and good journalism. Our legal system and our attitudes have not caught up with the significant contributions immigrants are making to our country. Changing those is step one. Growing up near the Salinas Valley I have never seen a white American bent over a strawberry patch or a lettuce field in my life – not when the union was strong in the 1970's and not now. Punishment and deportation are not solutions to this problem.

   Posted by katedaniels at 04/10/2006 @ 4:28pm

9. This debate is about people and families, not just a workforce or a tax-paying bloc, or a market, etc. There are people who have built lives here and we should respect their contributions, which are many, and their presence as our neighbors, or we should take down the Statue of Liberty and admit that we couldn't live up to that ideal.

   Posted by shannonfloy at 04/10/2006 @ 5:46pm

10. April 10 2006 will be equivalent of the original "shot heard round the world" that happened so long ago in Concord. Yes this is a country built by immigrants however what worked when we were 13 colonies years ago is no longer valid. THis nation must have a managed solution to insure that all who find safe harbor in her borders can prosper..look to EUrope to see what happens when immigration is uncontrolled eventually the well runs dry and all are left with nothing. Immigration must be controlled not only for those who are citizens but also those who hope to become citizens.. we cannot allow a swarn of locust to consume teh fields of plenty lest the balance be disturbed and we all are left without. The immagrants from Europe had to wait in line and so should the new immagrants from the south. If bring this under control increases the cost of items I am willing to accept this knowing that American ingenuity will define a new path to overcome what ever is in our path..we have been lazy and used the undocumented wroforce it is time to come out of the shadows and create an open and fair society . IF you wish to be American ..why are you waving the flag of the country you chose to leave behind? WHy do you refuse to learn the language and embrace the country you claim to love? THere are issue which need to resolved on both sides.

    Posted by hjande at 04/10/2006 @ 9:15pm

11. If illegal immigration is such a boon to the country why do we have borders at all? If the USA is supposed to make up for the overpopulation, or poor governance of Mexico, Korea and other nations please tell me where do you draw the line. I mow my own lawn folks, I clean my own house and I don't want cheap labor picking my food. I'd be very glad if all the people benefiting from these desperate people's willingness to work in unsafe and unhealthy conditions or for pitiful wages were no longer able to do so. I would like it if our standard of living (ie over consumption) was in fact lowered which it might be if we actually paid equitable wages for the work done. In that case we would not need to import workers to do the things that "Americans won't do" I do appreciate much that latin culture brings to the USA and support a national Ceasar Chavez Day but that is beside the point.

    Posted by niceperson at 04/10/2006 @ 11:22pm

12. Take a basic Geography class. Track the birth rates of this and other 1st world countries. Then look at why this country is one of the few whose population is not declining. Look at the demographic crises Japan,Italy, and the E.U. in general face. Do we really want to get rid of all the imegrants and block any more from comming?

    Posted by bascaville at 04/10/2006 @ 11:54pm

13. This debate is about people and families, not just a workforce or a tax-paying bloc, or a market, etc. There are people who have built lives here and we should respect their contributions, which are many, and their presence as our neighbors, or we should take down the Statue of Liberty and admit that we couldn't live up to that ideal.

    Posted by SHANNONFLOY 04/10/2006 @ 5:46pm

    Right, this is about people and families...

    People like my friend John, who has worked in the construction business here in Southern California for many years. Works his tail off, but he hasn't had a raise in about 6 years as cheap illegal immigrant labor has driven wages down in his profession.

    It's about people and families, yep, like my friend Jim, whose daughter is about to head off to college, which will cost them an arm and a leg... while illegal immigrant activists here fight for illegals to get deep tuition breaks to the UC system.

    People and families, that's right, it's all about people and families...

    Which inscription on the Statue of Liberty guarantees immigrants the right to sneak in, use the system but not pay taxes to support it, and get hopelessly exploited by rich American business owners?

    Posted by tkacg at 04/11/2006 @ 12:18am

14. Is Mr. Cooper, and the rest of the Nation staff, really unaware of the effect of the employment of illegal immigrants on America's working class? Have you never heard how the meat processing industry closed unionized plants in one state in order to open illegal immigrant staffed plants in neighboring states. The claim by the business community that "illegals only take jobs Americans don't want" is propaganda. Business wants illegals to work in illegal conditions for slave wages. "Liberalization" of immigration is just another effort by corporate America to advance its model "any job you can't export to a corrupt government that will provide docile slave labor fill in the US with an illegal immigrant." The real progressive position is stiff penalties and jail time for those executives that employee illegals.

    Posted by Tgasloli at 04/11/2006 @ 6:37pm