Reforms urged
Nicolas Villagrana tells reporters that Hispanic immigrants are workers who have been unfairly swept up in the crackdown against terrorism. Villagrana and more than a dozen other pro-immigrant speakers appeared a news conference on the House lawn Feb. 21 to announce a Phoenix march for immigration rights, planned for May 1. Rep. Ben Miranda, D-16 (right rear), attended the news conference.

Hispanic activists hope to repeat last year’s immigration protests by staging a march in downtown Phoenix on May 1.
A coalition of pro-immigration and Hispanic groups is organizing the march to push for a federal guest worker program with amnesty or a legal path to remain in the country for illegal immigrants already in the U.S.
Aldo Castenada, a representative for the “Committee for the March,” announced the plans Feb. 21 at the Capitol.
“We are putting together a massive united community effort for May 1 to raise flags to urge reform from the Arizona Legislature,” Castenada said.
Dulce Juarez, an Arizona State University student, told the gathered crowd, “Day after day people die in the deserts trying to come across the border. We need this reform (Arizona Dream Act) to Prop. 300 so we begin to move forward. This reform would also help to reunite families torn apart and separated because of existing laws.”
Reverend Jarrett Mopin, with the National Action Network urged support from various groups.
“We must all unite in the community — blacks, whites, Hispanics, Latinos — we must all unite to demand reform or we will never get to the promised land Dr. [Martin Luther] King spoke of,” he said.
Castenada said the committee anticipates about 50,000 will march on the Arizona Capitol, and up to 500,000 nationwide will march on May 1, which is a Tuesday. He also said he anticipates support from Arizona’s U.S. Sen. John McCain.
Last year’s April 10 march drew an estimated 100,000 to the Capitol. It was peaceful, but the action did shut down state agencies and the Legislature for most of the afternoon. Many state workers opted to telecommute on that day, since the rally closed many streets near the Capitol.
Rep. Ben Miranda, D-16, is among the organizers. Groups involved include the Phoenix Immigration Center, the National Action Network, Mano a Mano and the ASU Youth Organization.