Activists Plan March for Immigration Reform

HOLLYWOOD, June 23, 2007 (CNS) - More than 15,000 people are expected to take to the streets of Hollywood Sunday to demand full legalization for immigrant workers as Tuesday's Senate debate on immigration law reform looms, organizers of the pro-immigration march said Saturday.

"There is a need for immigrants to be recognized for their work and our main concern is the more than 12 million workers here illegally," said Raul Murillo, executive director of the Los Angeles chapter of Hermandad Nacional.

"We want recognition for their work and legalization now. We're asking for the legalization for 12 million workers giving their lives to the United States."

Participants of the June 24th "Full Rights For Immigrants March and Rally" will begin assembling at Hollywood Blvd and Vine St. around 10 a.m. The march to the front of the Kodak Theatre, between Highland Avenue and Orange Drive, will begin at noon and is expected to last about an hour, Murillo said.

A rally is scheduled for sometime between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the march's end. The event will feature Spanish entertainment, including performances by well-known "Banda" queen Jenny Rivera, El Puma de Sinaloa and the rap duo AKWID. Rivera is expected to march, Murillo said.

"We are asking Congress and the Senate to move forward and legislate immigration reform," Murillo said.

A previous plan to overhaul immigration stalled on the Senate floor earlier this month. But different from its predecessor, the latest proposal includes tougher security measures designed to gain conservative support. The proposed bill includes a mandated $4.4 billion for spending on border security and jail time for foreigners who overstay their visas, among other crackdowns on illegal immigration.

The fate of the proposed compromise bill remains uncertain, however, despite the recent revisions and President Bush's recent push to have the measure approved, as opposition from conservative camps build.

Hermandad Nacional Mexicana is in the midst of a drive to convert one million legal residents into voting citizens this year. That drive is a collaboration between 300 community advocacy groups and Univision, the nation's largest Spanish-language broadcasting firm.

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