Huge numbers of immigrants marched in support of immigrant rights again on Sunday. Even larger numbers are expected to turn out today.
The picture here is from Sunday's march in Houston where estimates range from 350,000 to 500,000.
The sea of people, who chanted "Si se puede" (yes, we can) and "U.S.A., all the way," wound through downtown streets for at least a mile, surpassing all estimates of how many would show up.
"It's a good feeling that we are finally standing up for ourselves," said Robert Martinez, who is now an American citizen but said he crossed the Rio Grande illegally 22 years ago. "For years we never say nothing, we just work hard, follow the rules and pay taxes. And they try to make these laws. It's time people knew how we felt."
"We've got soldiers in Iraq from Mexico, South America, Africa, Russia," he said. "I'm marching for their families. I'm of Hispanic descent, but I've never even been to Mexico, but I think these people have a right to be here. But let's do it the right way."
Miami, San Diego, New York and Salem, Oregon are a few of the cities that held marches for immigrant rights on Sunday. The immigrants who marched were not all Hispanic, and some African-Americans joined the marchers.
"I'm from Iran but this is not just for them," said Saeed Tavakkol, a 48-year-old with a moving company that employees both legal and illegal immigrants.
"I'm here for my employees," he said. "I told them to come to. This is a cause for humanity. You can't say 'go back.' They are here, part of the society. Their children are citizens. They are very valuable to us."
Monday's demonstrations are expected to be bigger! (Photo: Immigrants march in Houston)
Even larger demonstrations are expected on Monday that could draw a million or more people nationwide. Well over 100 rallies are planned, with big turnouts expected in New York, Washington and Phoenix. At least 20 rallies are expected to take place in California alone.
But some say as many as two million are expected to turn out today.
The Washington Post reports that Asian, African, Haitian and other ethnic groups are expected to show up in large numbers for Monday's rallies.
Koreans said they will march in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, banging traditional protest drums. Chinese said they will parade out of Chinatowns in San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia, led by marchers wearing colorful dragon costumes. Haitians said they will be heard in Miami and New York, and Africans said they will be among the tens of thousands who will gather at the Washington Monument.
A big majority of people living in the United States illegally -- 80 percent -- come from Mexico and Latin America. Another 13 percent are from Asia, Africa and other nations, and 6 percent are from Canada and Europe, according to a study by the Pew Hispanic Center. . .
Asian groups have become particularly concerned about immigration as the United States steps up its efforts to deport illegal Chinese and Korean immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security recently said that it is close to an agreement with China over the repatriation of about 39,000 Chinese immigrants. Korean activists said families have been torn apart when immigrant parents were deported while their American-born children remained in the United States.
I haven't heard news of planned demonstrations in Tennessee, if you see something email me.
Related TGW Post: Thousands at Nashville Immigrant Rights Rally
Immigration Protest Immigrant Rights Houston
