The marchers chanted "Si se puede," a Mexican-American rallying cry that
means "yes, we can."
They hope to block a bill already passed by the
House of Representatives that would make it a felony
to be an illegal immigrant in the United States. The bill, which is not yet law,
would also penalize those who help or hire illegal immigrants, and erect fences
along one-third of the U.S.-Mexico border.
A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department says about 500,000 people
marched Saturday.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is the son of an immigrant, and he
spoke in English and Spanish at the downtown rally. He later told reporters that
people who come to his city to work are not committing a crime. "We cannot
criminalize people who are working, people who are contributing to our economy,
and contributing to the nation," he said.
Protesters say the United States needs workers and the unemployed in Mexico
need jobs. One counter-protester said there are laws already in place for people
to enter the country. "I'd like to see immigration laws being enforced," he
said.
President Bush used his weekly radio address to repeat his call for a guest
worker program that would provide legal status, but not citizenship, for some
illegal immigrants in the United States.
Some in his own Republican party, including Senate majority leader Bill
Frist, say border security and enforcement should shape the debate over
immigration reform. Some other Republicans, and many Democrats, support some
form of guest worker program. The Senate will begin debating the issue next
week.
block a bill: 阻止法案通過(guò)
felony: one of several grave crimes （重罪）
