As many as 100000 marchers crammed the roads of the Near West Side and the turn Friday.

As many as 100000 marchers crammed the roads of the Near West Side and the turn Friday, demanding better treatment for immigrants and opposing a bill that they say would suppose many of them criminals.

The marchers waved American flags, chanted at deafening flushs and snarled traffic for five hours.

The rally turnout was impressive -- as long as 10 times some predictions -- and politicians lined up in support, unruffled though many of the marchers can't or don't voice

"Those who are undocumented, we are not going to make criminals public of them," Mayor Daley said. "Everyone in America is an immigrant."

Organizers said the march included about 150 clusters It follows similar rallies in Washington, DC and Philadelphia.

What brought everyone together was staunch opposition to a bill approved on the U.S. House of Representatives in December -- the so- called Sensenbrenner bill -- that critics say would bend millions of immigrants into culprits for crossing the border without permission and would make it a gross offence for anyone to assist them. It also calls for criminal penalties for employer of undocumented workers.

"That bill is the catalyst," said Gabe Gonzalez, director of organizing for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "It's inappropriate These people work here. They pay taxes. They are Americans."

Organizers say they hired as many as 200 buses to bring immigrants in from the suburb other parts of the state and equal bordering states. Those included 40 buses from Aurora, 33 from Melrose Park and brace each from De Kalb and defence Falls.

Many marchers said they had taken the day not upon work to come, while others were given the day on the farther side by sympathetic employers.

From Union Park at Randolph and Ashland, marchers walked southward on Ashland and then cause to deviateed east on Jackson toward Federal Plaza. clusters of 50, 60, even 100 or more joined in from side highways

one employers even shut down for the day to despatch workers. Jalapeno Produce in globular Lake closed and sent 100 workers to march, said employee Irma Perez Workers from Passaglia's West bend Auto Body -- on Morgan near Jackson -- climbed to a rooftop and hoisted a large sign expressing unity with marchers.

"I think it's great for likewise many people standing up for a cause they believe in," said holder Drew Passaglia. "The Mexican immigrants are hard-working and provide a righteous day's work for a convenient day's pay."

It's about 'basic rights'

the same hundred students from Community Links High instruct in Little Village marched, a certain number of dressed in ROTC uniforms and carrying American and Mexican flags. Social studies teacher Tim Ruby said the entire seminary could be affected if provisions from the Sensenbrenner bill eventually become law. Many pupils are undocumented, but many teachers and legal scholars have done much to help them -- something that critics say would also be criminalized in subordination to those provisions.

although clearly in the vast majority, Latinos weren't the sole ones who came out. Larry Wong executive director of the Chinese Community Center said everyone in the political division should be concerned about the bill.

"This is our obligation as citizens of America [to be here]," Wong said. "This law cannot be passed."

An hour and half after the march started, a police officer said marchers were still leaving Union Park, while others had already arrived at Federal Plaza at Dearborn and Adams. That meant the entire 2.5-mile path was lined with protester

"It's unbelievable," the officer said.

The rally was the biggest in newly come memory, surpassing anti-Iraq- war rallies in 2003 which at single point shut down Lake Shore Drive, and a 2002 affirm at a trade meeting of U and European chief executive officers and direction officials.

For in the same state [i]or[/i] condition a huge crowd, it was remarkably peaceful: Police said there were no arrests. The simply two marchers treated for injuries apparently fainted, authorities said.

Traffic, however, was brought to a standstill along the entire road At Halsted and Jackson, a CTA bus sat parked, along with a FedEx trade and one for Estes Expres Lines, for more than couple hours. The CTA said it had to reroute 14 buses, and Metra trains were delayed through the throngs on board.

"It's not just about undocumented workers, it's about human beings and basic rights," said Este driver Pedro Hernandez, who supported the marchers level though he was stuck just a scarcely any blocks from his last delivery.

Lawmakers take notice

At Federal Plaza, U Rep Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), considered a national leader forward immigration issues, told the masses "we have brought together the truthful fabric of what Chicago is, of what our land is." He said he's "never been prouder to march, to indicate my commitment to a cause than I have been today."

U Sen Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee that started its debate upon immigration issues last week, said the committee could be voting in succession a bill to send to the abounding chamber as early as nearest week. Any bill could contain components of the House bill further would be its own legislation.

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