In New York, thousands protest immigration bill

Marchers, most from Latin American nations, rally day after city mayor supports tighter borders.

David B. Caruso / Associated Press

NEW YORK -- A day after New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg shared his views on the national immigration debate, thousands Saturday marched across the Brooklyn Bridge, waving flags from more than a dozen countries as they demonstrated against possible immigration reform in Congress.

The marchers, most of them hailing from Latin American countries, gathered in downtown Brooklyn on a warm spring day for the walk across the East River. The march ended outside a federal office building in Manhattan.

"We came to say that we're here," said George Criollo, who arrived in New York a decade ago from Cuenca, Ecuador. "We have to speak, legal or illegal. We have to speak about this issue."

Criollo, who said his family was in the United States illegally, feared that legislation could lead to his deportation or jailing. In the House, legislation already has passed that would set penalties for anyone who knowingly assists or encourages illegal immigrants to remain in the country.

The marchers were accompanied by brass bands, ceremonial drums and tooting horns.

Another marcher, who spoke no English, carried a sign reading, "I cleaned up ground zero."

Bloomberg on Friday offered some of his most explicit views so far on the national immigration debate, calling for much tighter border controls, more generous visa policies for foreign scientists and the granting of permanent residency -- though not necessarily citizenship -- to the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in this country.

The mayor, who has seized on ideas from both the right and the left on immigration matters, spoke favorably for the first time about erecting a "physical wall" along the borders with Mexico and Canada or using technologies like sensors to detect the movements of migrants across borders.

"I have said from Day 1, get control of the borders," the mayor said in a radio call-in program on WABC. "People say, 'All right, I want control of the borders, but I don't want a wall.' Well, that's OK Just tell me what else works. And nobody's come up with an idea."

The New York Times contributed to this report.