Patricia Nazario
June 01, 2009
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Activists in Los Angeles are leading efforts to launch a national campaign that would change what they call unfair laws against undocumented immigrants. KPCC's Patricia Nazario says about 200 people marched Monday from Olvera Street to L.A. City Hall.

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Patricia Nazario: Demonstrators wore white t-shirts that read "Legalize L.A.," waved red, white. and blue signs with the slogan "Reform Immigration for America," and used a megaphone to chant their message:

Demonstrators: Obama escucha, estamos en la lucha.

Nazario: In Spanish they said, "We're in the fight," and they called on President Barack Obama to listen. Organizers said religious and labor leaders showed up to support this march and similar ones in dozens of cities across the country.

EunSook Lee: It's not just about Latinos.

Nazario: EunSook Lee directs the National Korean Consortium. Members of her group played hourglass-shaped drums that are common at activist events in their homeland. Lee said it's hard to find anyone in America's Asian neighborhoods who's not having problems with current immigration laws.

Lee: Who's not waiting for a family member to come back to be reunited, who's not living it the shadows and having a very difficult time trying to make ends meet?

Nazario: The Obama administration has promised to consider reforms to immigration laws in September. Protest organizers said that now is the time to start hosting town hall meetings, lobbying Washington lawmakers in person and building a broad coalition, so the president can convince Congress to pass those laws.