Thousands protest immigration crackdown by Tim Molloy LOS ANGELES - Thousands of people across the country protested Friday against legislation cracking down on illegal immigrants, with demonstrators in such cities as Los Angeles, Phoenix and Atlanta staging school walkouts, marches and work stoppages. Congress is considering bills that would make it a felony to be illegally in the United States, impose new penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants and erect fences along one-third of the U.S.-Mexican border. The proposals have angered many Latinos. The Los Angeles demonstration led to fights between black and Latino students at one high school, but the protests were largely peaceful, authorities said. Chantal Mason, a sophomore at George Washington Preparatory High, said black students jumped Latino students as they left classes to protest a bill passed the House in December that would make it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally. In Phoenix, police said 10,000 demonstrators marched to the office of Republican Sen. Jon Kyl, co-sponsor of a bill that would give illegal immigrants up to five years to leave the country. The turnout clogged a major thoroughfare. ''They're here for the American Dream,'' said Malissa Greer, 29, who joined a crowd estimated by police to be at least 10,000 strong. ''God created all of us. He's not a God of the United States, he's a God of the world.'' Kyl had no immediate comment on the rally. At least 500 students at Huntington Park High School near Los Angeles walked out of classes in the morning. Hundreds of the students, some carrying Mexican flags, walked down the middle of Los Angeles streets, police cruisers behind them. The students visited two other area high schools, trying to encourage students to join their protest, but the schools were locked down to keep students from leaving, said Los Angeles district spokeswoman Monica Carazo. In Georgia, activists said tens of thousands of workers did not show up at their jobs Friday after calls for a work stoppage to protest a bill passed by the Georgia House on Thursday. That bill, which has yet to gain Senate approval, would deny state services to adults living in the U.S. illegally and impose a 5 percent surcharge on wire transfers from illegal immigrants. Supporters say the Georgia measure is vital to homeland security and frees up limited state services for people legally entitled to them. Opponents say it unfairly targets workers meeting the demands of some of the state's largest industries. Teodoro Maus, an organizer of the Georgia protest, estimated as many as 80,000 Latinos did not show up for work. About 200 converged on the steps of the Georgia Capitol, some wrapped in Mexican flags and holding signs reading: ''Don't panic, we're Hispanic'' and ''We have a dream, too.'' On Thursday, thousands of people filled the streets of Milwaukee for what was billed as ''A Day Without Latinos'' to protest efforts in Congress to target undocumented workers. Police estimated more than 10,000 people joined the demonstrations and march to downtown Milwaukee. Organizers put the number at 30,000. In Utah, Proyecto Latino de Utah announced a pro-immigration march for Sunday, April 9. Project director Tony Yapias said in a news release that the march should begin at the City and County Building and proceed to the capitol. |
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