After the very successful immigration marches of last year, many decided not to march this year. Marches were still held in big cities with turnout at 150,000 in Chicago and 25,000 in Los Angeles. The marches were held for the second year in a row on May 1st, celebrating the International Labor Day and coinciding with rights for immigrants.Advocates for immigration reform do not think that the smaller crowds have lost momentum for the movement. In a way, there is even a sense of urgency to get the reforms passed soon with the upcoming presidential
elections taking most of the attention in the media. Those who marched believed that they were marching for the ones who could not march with them.Even with a smaller crowd, a University of Illinois-Chicago student who wished not to be indentified said that one couldn’t hear what was going on, with all the helicopter noise. “It was the same as last year,” he said.The march in Chicago showed many immigrant groups like the Irish and Koreans also taking part in the march.Locally a rally was held in Davenport, Iowa Post Office to Senator Chuck Grassley’s office. A crowd of fifty people were present. The event was put on a short notice and thus was not able to feature as many people in attendance.
Nationwide tens of thousands of people were protesting. In New York, paper leaves being pinned on a giant painted tree symbolizing the role of the American family, the separation of those families and the pivotal role that immigrants played in the community. There was only one reported incident of confrontation with some counter-protestors in Tucson, Ariz., the number was estimated at a few dozen. The biggest city not to hold a rally was Atlanta, Georgia.
One of the biggest organizations in charge was the National Immigrant Solidarity Network and the slogan for the organization is, “We are All Human Beings, No One Is Illegal.” The network can be found online at www.mayday2007.org
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