Immigrants Rally for Reform on May Day

Activism across the country

Tens of thousands of immigrants, Latinos and other supporters of an overhaul of the immigration system turned out on Wednesday to mark May 1 with marches, rallies and prayer vigils, hoping to show Congress that momentum is building in favor of a path to citizenship for 11 million immigrants in the country illegally.

Instead of concentrating their forces for one large demonstration on May Day, the immigrant and labor groups organizing the events said they chose to hold smaller actions in more than 100 cities to draw more local supporters. The demonstrations Wednesday follow a rally by supporters at the Capitol in Washington on April 10 that drew at least 30,000 people.

Planners said there would be an afternoon march through Birmingham, Ala.; a rally on the steps of the capitol in Denver; and a demonstration in downtown Kalamazoo, Mich., among dozens of other events. In Bozeman, Mont., organizers were promising a salsa lesson for protesters before a march to the public library.