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Thousands rallied in Albuquerque and Santa Fe for immigration reform.
Stay-at-home protests continued today.
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"Immigration is our foundation," read another.
The signs were in two languages, but the message was unified Sunday in demonstrations that drew thousands in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
The protests continued today, with some Albuquerque schools reporting empty chairs in classrooms, although it wasn't clear whether the absenteeism rate overall was higher than any other Monday.
Fliers had circulated in advance in the South Valley urging students to stay home as part of a national protest.
According to Albuquerque Public Schools officials:
At Harrison Middle School, 300 students, or 40 percent of the student body, were absent.
At Rio Grande High School, 400 students, or about a fifth of the student body, were absent. Typically, about 150 students would miss school.
At Albuquerque High School, 50 to 100 students walked out of class this morning. Its student body is about 1,840.
At the demonstration in Albuquerque on Sunday, Alejandra Ramirez came dressed head to toe in white as she joined the crowd at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. Organizers estimated the gathering at more than 1,000.
Her two sons, Carlos and Armando Lerma, ages 6 and 2, wore white T-shirts and carried white balloons.
"I want to show my kids that we all need to be united," said Ramirez, 25.
Organizers asked participants to wear white and carry white flags to signify peace and unity while grabbing the attention of lawmakers debating immigration reform in Washington, D.C.
The Senate stalled last week over revamps that would have given many illegal immigrants a chance at citizenship.
But a major focus of the rally Sunday was to oppose a bill approved by the House of Representatives in December that would make illegal immigration a felony. Those who aid illegal immigrants could also face prosecution.
"If this law passes, it makes me a criminal," said Onelia Rodriguez, a participant in Sunday's rally.
Rodriguez, 24, said some of her family, who are from Guatemala, often stay at her home.
"It (the bill) upsets me because the U.S. is a cultural mix built on different parts of cultures, and they (Congress) are trying to eliminate a major part of it," she said.
In Santa Fe, an estimated 2,000 people marched from Our Lady of Guadalupe Church to St. Francis Cathedral near the plaza.
"El pueblo unido jam s ser vencido," they chanted. "The people united will never be defeated."
Rene Lopez, who moved to Santa Fe 10 years ago from Culiac n, Sinaloa, Mexico, attended the rally in hopes the federal government would make it easier for him to become a U.S. citizen.
Lopez said he left his hometown because it was too difficult to earn a living. The $80 he makes in a day in Santa Fe working construction would take a week to earn in Mexico, he said.
The money he can send to his family, between $100 and $300 a month, depending on how much work he can get, makes a big difference.
"It helps them pay their gas bills and water," he said.
Once the marchers got to Cathedral Park, they listened to speakers including Archbishop Michael Sheehan.
"You are a blessing, not a problem," Sheehan said. "We need you. The United States needs you."
In Albuquerque, Rachel LaZar, executive director of El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos, said she was impressed with the turnout, especially because organizers got the word out in only four days.
"We had an amazing coalition of union, faith-based organizations and community members," LaZar said
Groups worked vigorously passing out fliers throughout Albuquerque, she said, while she and leaders from other organizations, like the SouthWest Organizing Project and Enlace Comunitario, planned out the afternoon's events that included live music and several speakers, including former City Councilor Eric Griego.
Griego, who supported "immigrant friendly" laws such as the Clear Act that says local law enforcement should not enforce immigration laws, said current legislation is going in the wrong direction.
"This is kind of a wake-up call that the rights we have can be taken for granted," Griego said.
He called the issue the "civil rights movement of our generation" and encouraged others to stand up for immigration reform.
"When a law is unjust, we must challenge that law," he told the crowd.
Victoria Rodriguez, the lead campaign organizer for the SouthWest Organizing Project, said demonstrations would continue today at several local schools. Albuquerque High School, Highland High School and the University of New Mexico were all planning events, she said.
Rodriguez said she is also encouraging everyone to not make purchases today in order to show the economic effect of immigrants.
Some people are planning walkouts and do not plan to show up to school or work at all, she said, but these events are up to individuals and are not associated with the organization.
Gladys Grado, a freshman at Rio Grande High School, said she came to Sunday's event because she faced suspension if she participated in a walkout at her school today.
Her family is from Mexico, and she said she worried how new immigration laws might affect her future.
"It might make it harder for me to get a job. A lot of my family will be taken away, too," she said.
When asked what the message of Sunday's rally was, she said, "Every person, every race means something."
