Hundreds march along Strip for immigration reform

Several hundred people marched on the Strip on Saturday evening in support of comprehensive immigration reform and against the newly passed law in Arizona.

The group, made up mostly of Hispanics, began with about 200 people at The Venetian but swelled to more than 400 by the time they reached the Statue of Liberty replica at New York-New York.

Demonstrators held signs in both English and Spanish, one of which read: Congress Act Now. American flags were waved by the group.

Ismael Torres, 25, said he marched Saturday to protest Arizona's immigration law that directs police to question a person about their immigration status if there is a reason to suspect they are in the country illegally. Torres said the law puts a bullseye on Hispanics.

"The Arizona law discriminates only against immigrants from Mexico," Torres said. "It's only targeting those of Hispanic descent."

Supporters of the law say it mimics federal law and will help cut down on crime committed by illegal immigrants. Detractors suggest it will lead to racial profiling and might cause a rift between the Hispanic community and police in Arizona.

As the demonstrators made their way south on the Strip, some supporters honked their car horns. Tourists looked on with curiosity. And some people reacted against the group's message.

"Go home illegals," one woman shouted, as she rode down the sidewalk on a bicycle.

Las Vegas police Capt. Dave O'Leary said the demonstration was "very peaceful." He said there were no problems between demonstrators and anyone who opposed the group's message. He estimated that there were 420 demonstrators.

Michael Flores, state director of Reform Immigration for America, which organized the demonstration, said he hopes President Barack Obama makes comprehensive immigration reform a priority. He said the Strip was chosen as the locale for the march for many reasons: It has a high profile, many Hispanics work on the Strip, and the group wanted their message to reach a larger audience.

"It's not just Las Vegas, you have people from all over the country on the Strip," he said. "The issue is important for them, too."

Sandy Brown, a tourist from Mc­Minnville, Ore., stopped to take pictures of the demonstrators. She said she is in favor of a comprehensive immigration plan as long as those who broke the law to get here face some punitive consequences.

"Everyone should be welcomed," Brown said. "But there should be steps taken to get there."

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.