Thousands marched in the streets of Dallas, Texas on Sunday, shouting, “Obama escucha, estamos en lucha!” or “Listen, Obama! We’re at war!” to rally for the Senate’s immigration reform bill.
The Cinco de Mayo march followed on the heels of similar marches around the country on May Day. As Mexican site ElUniversal.mx reported:
Humanitarian and religious organizations, trade unions and even academic institutions expressed their support and solidarity with the migrant community. “A large group of university professors across the country believe that reforming our immigration system is not only right, but that is what is best for the country’s interests,” said teachers from over 300 universities through a manifesto circulated on social networks.
This year’s marches are reported to smaller the 2006 rallies for amnesty but still turned out some impressive numbers. The march in Dallas began at Catholic church and ended at City Hall, with long and orderly line of protesters. Many carried American flags, although the protest also included a handful of beret-wearing anarchists who carried a Che flag. According to march organizer’s site:
We march for social justice and equality.
We march in support of immigration reform that is fair and expeditious in its granting first-class citizenship for all.
We march for immigrant rights because immigrant rights are civil rights.
We march for human rights.
We march for the right to vote, we march for democracy. Today we march, tomorrow we vote!
Voting registration forms were handed out to marchers and there was a voter registration both set up at the rally’s endpoint outside Dallas City Hall.
Another rallying cry was to end deportations. As the Dallas Morning News reported:
Some marchers and speakers noted the recent record deportations in the U.S. of about 400,000 a year.
Hector Flores, a past national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, and Roberto Corona, an immigrant leader, said deportations should end.