Thousands of immigrants are expected to take to the streets in several cities across the United States Tuesday, to demand fair treatment as President Bush continues to press for immigration reform.
Crowds are expected to be somewhat smaller than last year's May Day protests, when half-a-million people participated in events in Los Angeles alone, which has a high concentration of Latino immigrants. The city's mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, has called on students to stay in school for the day rather than follow some activists' call for a student boycott.
Protests are also expected to take place in New York, Chicago, Miami, and Washington. Organizers say some would-be protesters may stay home this year in response to a national crackdown on illegal aliens over the past year. There are an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
Federal legislation that would have created a guest worker program and offered a path to U.S. citizenship for some immigrants failed last year, in the face of strong opposition from some Republicans in the House of Representatives.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
