The less relatively stupid among them must have realized that such demonstrations increase awareness among otherwise ignorant and apathetic Whites. Otherwise they'd be out there.

Fewer drawn to rallies this time around
Peter Prengaman, The Associated Press
Article Launched: 05/02/2007 12:00:00 AM PDT

LOS ANGELES - Many immigrants hoped that rallies across the country Tuesday would give new life to a movement struggling to win a way for 12 million [invaders] in America's shadows to eventually become citizens.

Instead, turnout was low compared to the throngs that filled the nation's streets a year earlier, leaving uncertainty about the impact and direction of the movement in shaping an immigration system that is considered broken by both conservative anti-illegal immigration groups and advocates for amnesty.

"After working 22 years here, paying taxes and being a good citizen, I think it's fair they give me residency," said Los Angeles protester Manuel Hernandez, a 38-year-old Mexican who, along with his wife and two children, is undocumented. "It's not fair we don't have documents."

In Los Angeles, where May 1 protests in 2006 brought out several hundred thousand at various activities, about 25,000 came out for a downtown rally, said police Capt. Andrew Smith, incident commander for the march. A second rally was expected Tuesday evening.

In Chicago, where more than 400,000 swarmed the streets a year earlier, police officials put crowd estimates at about 150,000, by far the country's largest
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turnout.

Organizers had long predicted lower turnouts, blaming stepped up immigration raids, frustration that marches haven't pushed Congress to pass immigration reform legislation and a concerted effort by many groups to focus on citizenship and voter registration drives instead of rallies.

They argued smaller crowds didn't mean the movement to win a path to citizenship for 12 million illegal immigrants had lost steam.

"People are saying we need to get together to demonstrate unity," said Joshua Hoyt, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "But with so much happening, and so many concrete victories, you couldn't say the movement is weakening."

Still, the frustration of many protesters was palpable.

"Nothing has happened since last year," said Gloria Ramos, 51, who emigrated from Mexico 32 years ago. "Things are getting worse for our people - more discrimination, less benefits."

After massive marches in the spring of 2006, the Senate passed a sweeping reform bill that would have provided a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants. But the bill was never reconciled with the then- Republican-controlled House, and reform legislation has languished since last summer.

Subsequent bipartisan proposals, which have not been formally taken up by Congress, have gotten more conservative.

Meanwhile, federal immigration raids and deportations are increasing.

In fiscal year 2006, federal immigration officials deported 195,024 people - compared to 173,363 the previous year - according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data.

Six months into the current fiscal year, 125,405 have already been deported.

[This, friends, is shoveling sand against the tide.]

Protesters said that while anger over raids brought some people out, fear also kept many at home.

Los Angeles public school teacher David Cid said his students were suffering because recent raids had separated families.

Los Angeles County has about 1 million illegal immigrants, by far the largest concentration in America. [That was the estimate YEARS ago.]

"They feel terrorized," said Cid, who declined to give more details about where he works to protect his students.

Thomas Rodriguez, 38, an illegal immigrant rallying in Chicago, said the raids were damaging families.

"We worry deportations are leaving too many young people without parents," Rodriguez said.

Fear was apparent in Atlanta, where no rallies were planned, even though 50,000 marched on May 1 last year.

Organizers said immigrants were afraid of the raids and of a new Georgia state law set to take effect in July. The law requires verification that adults seeking non-emergency state-administered benefits are in the country legally, sanctions employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants and requires police to check the immigration status of people they arrest.

"There's a lot of anxiety and fear in the immigrant community," said Jerry Gonzalez of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.

Though turnout was low, the rallies had the usual rowdy and festive feel.

Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean told immigrant supporters in Miami that a reform bill currently before Congress was "insane" because it would require many illegal immigrants to return home before applying for citizenship.

"This is a government that can't find a 6-foot-4 terrorist. How is it going to find 12 million people?" he told a group of more than 100 party supporters at Miami's Parrot Jungle Island.

About 15,000 people marched in Phoenix and another 2,500 in Tucson, waving signs reading "Stop the roundups" and "The sleeping giant woke up forever."

In Washington, D.C., several hundred members of Asian groups from across the country made a lobbying push with lawmakers.

In New York, immigrants and their supporters added names to a painting of a tree meant to symbolize the American family and the crucial role of immigrants in U.S. history. People in the crowd then attached leaves containing names of family members to the tree. [Reminds me of "American" artist Norman Rockwell's family tree propaganda painting with half-breeds near the root-end.]

"These people are hardworking people," said Jounedou Titi, a West African immigrant who has lived in the U.S. for eight years. "They deserve credit. And the only credit this country can give to them is citizenship."