国际英语新闻：March and rally held in L.A. for immigration reform

Judy Chu, the first Chinese-American congresswoman in the U.S., said at the rally that she was inspired by the sight of "100,000 people all raising their voices to say 'we want comprehensive immigration reform and we want it now.'"

Chu is a co-sponsor of an immigration bill sponsored by Representative Luis Gutierrez, D-Illinois, and the bill is favored by most Latino immigration activists.

"Time after time the oppressors went too far," declared Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary of the L.A. County Federation of Labor, comparing her side's cause to that of the anti-slavery movement.

She said Mexican-Americans are the direct target of conservatives who claim God is on their side.

A man holds a placard protesting the strict law against immigrants in Arizona at a grand rally demanding immigrants and labors rights in downtown Los Angeles, the United States, May 1, 2010

"If you speak Spanish, you are suspect," she said. "If you eat Menudo on Sunday, you will be deported on Monday."

Organizers of Saturday's march and rally handed out T-shirts reading, "Legalize Arizona" and "Boycott Arizona."

Marchers waved American flags, along with many flags from other countries, including Mexico, the Philippines, Nicaragua and Guatemala.