500,000 RALLY IN L.A. BIGGEST PROTEST IN CITY HISTORY HITS TOUGH IMMIGRATION BILL.

Byline: Rachel Uranga and Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writers

In the largest protest rally ever in Los Angeles, a crowd estimated at 500,000 jammed downtown streets Saturday to denounce a federal legislative proposal that would criminalize illegal immigration and require building a 700-mile wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Wearing white clothing as a symbol of peace and waving American, Mexican and other flags from across Latin America, demonstrators gridlocked traffic for miles, closing streets as far south as the Santa Monica Freeway.

Police went on daylong tactical alert as demonstrators marched from the Latino shopping district at Broadway and Olympic Boulevard to City Hall. But no serious incidents occurred and there were no arrests or injuries.

Carrying signs calling for ``Amnistia,'' Spanish for ``Amnesty,'' and declaring ``We are the future,'' protesters from as far off as Oregon denounced a bill by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., that was approved by the House and comes up for Senate debate this week.

The proposal would make it a felony to illegally enter the United States, erect barriers along one-third of the U.S.-Mexico border and impose tough penalties on companies, organizations or individuals hiring or helping illegal immigrants.

With an estimated 12 million immigrants in the United States illegally, the bill has stirred emotions on both sides of the immigration debate.

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in protest in recent days in Chicago, Phoenix, Milwaukee and other cities. It also spurred walkouts Friday by thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District students and gained the attention of Cardinal Roger Mahony, who told his priests to defy any prohibitions on aiding illegal immigrants.

``This is the new civil-rights movement,'' said Maria Elena Durazo, a top Los Angeles labor leader and longtime proponent of immigrants' rights. ``There is an extremely deep sentiment that has been touched in this country ... and it's only building.''

With the Senate preparing this week to debate immigration proposals, President George W. Bush used his Saturday radio address to try to calm waters, emphasizing America's rich immigrant history.

``America does not have to choose between being a welcoming society and being a lawful society. We can be both at the same time,'' Bush said. ``As we debate the immigration issue, we must remember there are hard-working individuals, doing jobs that Americans will not do, who are contributing to the economic vitality of our country.''

Bush, who favors a guest worker program but opposes amnesty, is walking a political tightrope with the Republican Party split over enforcement measures.

In Los Angeles, where one-third of the population is foreign-born and the economy is heavily dependent on immigrant labor, the rally attracted broad backing from the region's top politicians, clergy and labor leaders.

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles; Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles; and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa were among the speakers who addressed Saturday's jubilant crowd from City Hall's south balcony.

``I come today, mayor of the city of Los Angeles, to welcome you, the immigrants, who built this city, God bless you,'' Villaraigosa said.

The crowd roared and chanted ``Si, se puede,'' Spanish for ``Yes, it can be done.''

``We come together to say that we are workers, not criminals; that we work hard, we pay our taxes, we play by the rules and we want this great America to take us into account,'' said Villaraigosa.

Many of the thousands lining the streets came as families, many in multiple generations. Some were newly arrived in the United States. Others have lived here for years. Some draped themselves in American flags. Others pushed baby strollers.

``They want to make us criminals but we work hard. We work 40 to 60 hours a week and we don't get paid overtime,'' said Francisca Franco, a 56-year-old Mexican immigrant from Corona.

Sandra Perez Chavez, a 22-year-old San Pedro mother who came from Paraguay as a child, is distressed by the proposed legislation, even though she is here legally.

``We're working people and we pay taxes. We're very thankful to this country. We love this country and don't want to leave,'' Chavez said. Her 24-year-old Mexican husband is struggling to obtain a green card and the stress has weighed on them.

For weeks, activists had used Spanish-language radio and television stations and word of mouth to draw protesters to the rally. Several Spanish-language radio stations have been pleading with their listeners to turn out, one going so far as airing a commercial that stated it was their ``responsibilidad.''

Eduardo ``Piolin'' Sotelo, Los Angeles' No. 1 morning disc jockey on radio station KCSA-FM (101.9), said he had been urging his listeners to come peacefully, wear white and stand against the legislation.

Himself an immigrant, Sotelo said that he vowed long ago to help his people through the power of radio.

``I believe that we are not criminals. Yes, I crossed the border when I was 16, running from the mountains. This is the experience that thousands of people have. We came here for a better life,'' he said.

The protest dwarfed past demonstrations, including a 1994 rally against Proposition 187 that drew 70,000 people. Proposition 187, which would have denied illegal immigrants social services in California, was passed by voters but later was overturned by the courts.

The Rev. Richard Estrada - a priest at Our Lady Queen of Angeles/La Placita, downtown's oldest church that has long been a haven for immigrants - believes Americans' sentiments can be changed.

``We want this to change attitudes and gain respect. You see parents here, the young, the elderly all waving American flags. They want their full rights. They want to stop the racism,'' he said.

Many in the crowd said the march was a natural reaction to what they call a backlash against those who wash cars, baby-sit and fill many of America's menial positions.

``I can understand the U.S. point of view, but people come here to work. This is the only place where if you work hard and you have determination, you'll be somebody, no matter how poor you were as a child,'' said Carmen Jimanez, 25, of La Puente, the child of Mexican immigrant parents.

Her parents, who crossed the Mexico-U.S. border illegally, gained amnesty in 1986, own two houses, a tree company and, as she puts it, are living the ``American dream.'' She supports a new amnesty for present illegal immigrants.

Labor officials and immigrant-rights groups present at the march have thrown much of their support behind alternate legislation. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., proposed a guest worker program that would require illegal immigrants to meet tough rules including paying fines. It would let them to seek residency after six years.

Assembly Speaker Nunez, the child of immigrants, called the McCain-Kennedy bill a humane way to recognize immigrant contributions.

``We shouldn't be threatening; it's a time to recognize our value and allow immigrants a path to legalization and citizenship,'' Nunez said outside City Hall.

Rachel Uranga, [phone]

rachel.uranga(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) A crowd estimated at 500,000 marches in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, above, while protesters, below, are seen waving American and other flags.

(3 -- color) Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa speaks to the crowd.

(4 -- color) Some in the crowd estimated at a half-million gather on freeway overpasses in downtown.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News

(5 -- color) A sea of protesters swarms downtown L.A. on Saturday for what was described as the biggest protest rally in city history.

Matt Warnock/Associated Press

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