Gillian Flaccus has written an article for the Associated Press expressing the motivation of immigrants and sympathizers to keep the pressure on Congress for immigration reform:

Illegal immigrants and their supporters vowed to keep up the pressure on Congress for reforms after more than 1 million people stepped out of the shadows and poured into the streets in a nationwide show of economic clout.

A day after rallies, boycotts and marches in Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Miami and elsewhere, the challenge for immigration advocates was to extend the momentum of Monday’s “Day Without Immigrants” into a sustainable effort to get immigrants more involved in the political process.

“We have far exceeded our expectations,” said Mahonrry Hidalgo, chairman of the Immigration Committee of the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey. “The events are intended to show solidarity and, at the same time, send a message that injustice against the immigrant community is unacceptable. This is not the end of our struggle. It is the beginning.”

On the contrary Mr. Hidalgo, the protests on May Day demonstrated illegal aliens and their sympathizers have no respect for the laws of the United States. Instead of taking the steps necessary to enter this country legally to enjoy all aspects of the American dream, illegal aliens have denounced this country’s laws without speaking, bringing about higher crime and abuse of American taxdollars.

The boycott was organized by immigrant activists angered by federal legislation that would criminalize an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants and fortify the U.S-Mexico border.

What about millions upon millions of American citizens who are angry with illegal aliens for crossing our border illegally? It is the right of the United States to control who comes across the border. For our own safety, we must be able to know who crosses our border and when.

Marchers standing shoulder-to-shoulder sang and chanted and danced in the streets wearing American flags as capes and bandanas. In most cities, those who rallied wore white to signify peace and solidarity and waved signs reading “We are America” and “Today we march, tomorrow we vote.”

In Los Angeles, marchers held U.S. flags aloft and sang the national anthem in English as traditional Mexican dancers and Korean drummers wove through the crowd. In Philadelphia, about a thousand people from different marches converged in the historic area near the Liberty Bell.

Immigrants may try to appear patriotic as much as they please, but it does not excuse the fact that illegal aliens broke U.S. immigration law.

The impact on some school systems was significant. In the sprawling Los Angeles Unified School District, which is 73 percent Hispanic, about 72,000 middle and high school students were absent _ roughly one in every four.

In San Francisco, Benita Olmedo pulled her 11-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son from school.

“I want my children to know their mother is not a criminal,” said Olmedo, a nanny who came here illegally in 1986 from Mexico. “I want them to be as strong I am. This shows our strength.”

Sorry Ms. Olmedo, but the truth is, you ARE a criminal. You’ve broken our immigration laws and Americans are angry about it. Instead of standing up for your illegal actions, it would be wise to teach your children that the rule of law must be respected if you are ever to be a productive citizen. These protests do not show the strength of the immigrant community, legal and illegal alike. It shows those who are protesting have no respect for the United States or the rule of law. We must enforce our immigration laws and secure our borders from illegals such as these.