JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Some 2,000 people demonstrated at Liberty State Park here April 6 as part of actions leading up to April 10 rallies in Washington, D.C., and other cities to demand legalization of 11 million undocumented immigrants. Many participants were members of unions, including Service Employees International Union 32BJ and the Laborers’ International Union.

“We need citizenship for all immigrants,” building maintenance worker and 32BJ shop steward Andrés Salcedo told the Militant.

The actions are being organized as Democratic and Republican legislators discuss “immigration reform” bills that include onerous requirements and long waiting periods on a path to legal status, expansion of guest worker programs to ensure bosses ample supply of superexploitable labor with precarious legal status, and measures to step up enforcement of immigration law.

The Militant will report on the April 10 actions in next week’s issue. May 1 protests to demand legalization of immigrant workers are planned for New York, Chicago, Seattle and other cities.

—CANDACE WAGNER AND DEBORAH LIATOS