FLORIDIANS JOIN IMMIGRATION PROTESTS

Floridian immigrants and their supporters have been relatively quiet compared to the thousands of demonstrators protesting proposals being debated in Congress which would make illegal immigration a felony and offer no path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented aliens already here.

Until now.

Several Florida cities were the sites of protests Monday. Police in Fort Myers estimate that more than 75,000 demonstrators participated in a march, many of them coming from the nearby farming town of Immokalee. The St. Petersburg Times reports that more than 3,000 gathered near Raymond James Stadium and that students at Plant City High School walked out of class to rally at City Hall.

In Fort Lauderdale, about 1,000 protestors demonstrated on behalf of immigration reform after thousands did so Sunday in Miami. And the South Florida Sun Sentinel also reported that "In Lake Worth, home to thousands of Mexican and Guatemalan day laborers, a crowd of thousands filled Bryant Park" in support. Police estimated around 4,000 there.

Locally, the Lakeland Ledger reported that one farmworkers' ministry closed Monday, encouraging families to participate in the Fort Myers demonstration. It also noted that several organizations are planning a local protest April 22 in Winter Haven. The march will begin at 9:30 that morning at the intersection of U.S. 17 and Cypress Gardens Boulevard (in front of the Chain O'Lakes complex) and end at Inman Park which is across town at the intersection of U.S. 17 and Avenue T/Havendale Boulevard.