150,000 march on Chicago
(http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/3664 ... 02.article)

May 2, 2007

BY ESTHER J. CEPEDA, DAVE NEWBART AND RUMMANA HUSSAIN Staff Reporters
Galvanized by a federal raid in Little Village last week, 150,000 flag-waving protesters headed for Grant Park on Tuesday, demanding an end to raids and deportations and seeking amnesty and a path to citizenship for illegal aliens.

Draped in American flags and chanting in many languages, members of immigrant support organizations, labor unions, gay and lesbian rights groups and socialist organizations marched in support of legalization for the estimated 12 million undocumented people -- approximately 400,000 in Chicago -- living in the United States today.

With a crowd Chicago Police estimated at 150,000 -- 30 times more than organizers had hoped for when they applied for permits -- it was the largest such rally in the country Tuesday. The march stepped off from Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph.

Some said they had no plans to join the protest before last Tuesday's raid in the predominantly Hispanic Little Village neighborhood, which led to arrests of alleged leaders of a fraudulent document ring.

"We were outraged. We were terrorized," said Francisca Zarate, owner of Boulevard Music in the shopping center that was raided.

"They intimidated everybody. Our kids couldn't go to sleep because of people with guns."

The march turnout exceeded expectations but was far below last year's May 1 rally, when police estimated 400,000 were on hand in Chicago.

Two people were arrested for allegedly leaving graffiti on the route, though police couldn't say for sure if they were marchers. One person was hospitalized for nausea.

Smaller crowds gathered in Detroit, New York, Phoenix, Denver and Los Angeles.

The Chicago crowd included the diehard, the offbeat and the angry. One man wore speakers around his neck that constantly blared a car alarm. Another blew into a conch shell to answer chants. Others spent part of the march doing the wave.

Within the moving mass was a trailer carrying a 12-foot-tall crucified Statue of Liberty made of foam, cardboard and Bondo, the auto repair putty.

A few people burned in effigy a military figure emblazoned with the president's name; others nearly brought the procession to a halt as they railed against two anti-illegal immigration demonstrators who then were surrounded by some 40 police officers for protection.

In Grant Park, speaker after speaker addressed the crowd.

Among them was Mayor Daley, who said, "We welcome immigrants to our great city." He then told the cheering crowd to raise their flags and remain strong.

"Stand up. Be not afraid of those who oppose us," said the mayor, referring to immigrants as "our past, our present and our future.''

"I'm here to march for immigrants because they don't have rights," said Roberto Herrera, 50, of Cicero. "We need a law to document them because they don't have a voice or a vote."


SOME TYPES OF U.S. VISAS

BUSINESS AND PLEASURE VISAS


B-1: Temporary business travelers

B-2: Travelers for pleasure or medical treatment

TEMPORARY WORK VISAS

H-1B: Highly specialized workers

H-2A: Temporary or seasonal agricultural workers

H-3: Non-medical or academic trainees

L: Intra-company transferees

O-1: Extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics

O-2: Accompanying an O-1 alien to assist in athletic or artistic performance

P-1: Individual or team athletes, or members of entertainment group that is internationally recognized

P-2: Artists or entertainers who perform under reciprocal exchange program

P-3: Artists or entertainers who perform under a program that is culturally unique

Q-1: Participants in international exchange to provide practical training on history of alien's country

STUDENT VISAS

F-1: Full-time students at accredited colleges and universities

M-1: Students training at non-academic institutions

EXCHANGE VISITORS

J: Visitors from sponsoring organizations

RELIGIOUS WORKERS

R-1: Qualified temporary religious workers