Activists rally for immigration reform in May Day protest

McALLEN - More than a hundred activists gathered in a local park Thursday night, urging comprehensive immigration reform and staunch opposition to the border wall.

The rally in McAllen organized by La Union del Pueblo Entero, or LUPE, was just one of many across the country on May Day to demand citizenship for the nation's millions of illegal immigrants and urge a halt to stringent enforcement of immigration law.

"For me, this is my way of supporting these kinds of workers," said Harlingen resident Juan Rios, as he stood near the stage at Archer Park, 100 N. Main St.

The 35-year-old legal immigrant met his ex-wife in Mexico about 11 years ago. He came to the United States on a tourist visa, stayed after he married and began working for various organizations supporting immigrants.

"I'm the luckiest guy who came to the U.S.," Rios said.

Across the country, turnout at the annual immigrant rights demonstrations was significantly down compared to the first nationwide rallies in 2006, which brought a combined total of more than 1 million people to the streets of several major cities.

In McAllen, red United Farm Workers flags were peppered across the park pavilion.

Activists said that while the turnout at protests across the country was disappointing, they're sure their message is still being heard.

And in a presidential election season that has become largely dominated by the economy, organizers said they're hopeful a new president will heed their call for immigration reform.

"It's disappointing, but at the same time - since three years ago - the topic of immigration reform has not left. (Discussion is) still going on in Washington," said Juanita Valdez-Cox, LUPE's Texas director.

The presidential candidates have largely avoided addressing immigration issues, and efforts at comprehensive immigration reform have repeatedly met with failure.

Still, activists at Thursday's event in McAllen remain hopeful change is on the horizon.

"It is May 1 and immigrants around the country celebrated workers," said Salomon Torres, district director for U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes. "It's a way to remind the country that immigration reform is a priority ... beyond just a security issue."
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Sean Gaffney covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4434.