On May Day 2006, International Workers Day -over 1.5 million immigrants and their allies poured into the streets in over 200 cities across the country to demand full legalization and dignity for undocumented workers. Many, responding to the national call for "Un dia sin immigrante" - "a day without an immigrant" refused to go to work or school in order to join the marches and rallies national organizers hope will spark the biggest multi-national civil rights/social movement in U.S history. [ US-IMC May Day 2006 coverage | LA IMC | SF Bay IMC | San Diego IMC | NYC IMC | Democracy Now! ]

In Chicago, Monday's May Day march reached historic proportions - dwarfing the original 1886 march for the eight hour day. Crowd estimates varied, with Chicago police and corporate press accounts estimating the march at over 400,000 participants. But March 10th Movement organizers and activists asserted that the day's turnout topped out well over 700,000. While marchers from Chicago's Latin American immigrant communities clearly comprised a majority, the march also included large contingents from the city's Irish, Polish, Ukrainian, Indian, Pakistani, Haitian and Arab communities, along with union and neighborhood groups, churches, mosques, civil rights and social justice organizations. Feeder marches from various parts of the city converged in Union Park, spilling out into the surrounding streets. Marching down Randolph St, past Chicago's historic Haymarket Square enroute to an afternoon rally in Grant Park, the crowd erupted into chants of "Sí se puede" (Yes we can!) and "El pueblo unido jamás sera vencido" (The people united will never be defeated). Read More | Photos: [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 ]

CIMC Newswire Accounts: Black and Brown Unite and Fight - STOP Contingent in Immigrant Rights March | Account of the Anarchist Bloc at Chicago Mayday/Immigrant's Rights March | Immigration and May Day | GLN: Photos and Story from LGBT Contingent