Organizers expect 10,000

For 18-year-old Kenia Pedroza, immigration reform means seeing the grandmother who raised her from a toddler when her mother died.

Pedroza's grandmother voluntarily headed back to Mexico once her husband, who was undocumented, was deported a few years ago. Her grandmother was in the process of becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen when she had to move south to be with her spouse. The couple had three children in California, including Pedroza's father, which is how the teen became a citizen.

"My grandmother is the support for me. She's a second mom to me," said Pedroza, who will attend the rally. "Immigration reform has really affected my life. Separation of family just doesn't affect me, it affects my friends and everybody in the world."

Clad in a "Rally for America" T-shirt, the Rancho High School junior marched with 25 of her peers Friday shouting at cars driving by in hopes of getting more people to go to today's rally, which is hosted by Reform Immigration for America.

"I'm a citizen thanks to my father, who was born in California, but I want (comprehensive immigration reform) passed so that everyone here can have legal status and work without discrimination," Pedroza said while clutching a tiny American flag.

The event will be from noon to 3 p.m. in front of the Lloyd George U.S. Courthouse, 333 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Las Vegas Boulevard will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Clark to Bridger avenues for the 10,000 or more people whom rally organizers expect at the event. They base their estimate on Internet RSVPs, among other grass-roots campaign efforts.

Earlier this week, local church leaders and union leaders voiced their support for immigration reform and today's rally.

Las Vegas police will be on hand to monitor the rally.

Sen. Harry Reid is scheduled to speak at the event along with Rep. Shelley Berkley, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and others.

Samuel Meza, 50, of Mexico, has lived in Las Vegas for 30 years with a green card. He said he is not a U.S. citizen.

"The importance is we get our voice heard," Meza said. "The voice says to get even. People don't know whether I'm legal or not, and they still call me illegal because they're ignorant. Just by looking at me they think I'm illegal. But I have my green card. It's not right."

Chants of "the people divided, we'll never be united," flooded the street as the group marched from the intersection of 21st Street and Searles Avenue toward Eastern Avenue. Cars honked in support, but one dissenter shouted, "No amnesty!"

Michael Flores, Southern Nevada director of Reform Immigration for America, said immigration activists are eager to re-energize the discussion about reform since health care and economic debates have since slowed down.

"I studied the civil rights era, I know what's going to be coming in the next couple of months," Flores said. "I feel that we have to prepare our youth for the same thing. I'm happy that they're so motivated about this. I keep telling them they'll remember what they're fighting for and that they have to stay strong. They're our future leaders."

Contact Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.