After the rallies, a focus on momentum

WASHINGTON -- The massive public rallies organized by immigrants' rights groups on Monday unleashed an unprecedented wave of Latino political activism, with peaceful and celebratory marches that recalled the civil rights era of the 1960s.

And yesterday, many politicians took note of the large crowd. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert and Senate majority leader Bill Frist sounded a more conciliatory note, promising that any immigration bill would not make it a felony to be in the country illegally, as a House-passed bill does.

But even as they celebrated the big turnout in 150 cities across the country, Latino and other immigrant organizers say their challenge will be to channel their energy into consistent political action. The rallies announced the presence of a potentially formidable force, the organizers said, though its potency will be determined by how well they can hold together a sometimes fragile coalition without a history of civic engagement.

Polls indicate that while the vast majority of Latinos view immigrants favorably, they are divided on whether legal immigration should be increased. About a third of Latinos, mostly those who came to the country legally or were born in the United States, fear that offering undocumented immigrants legal status would drive down wages and harm the economy.

Those doubts are reflected on a larger scale in the non-Latino population, and some political observers are skeptical that even massive outpourings like those on Monday can change the dynamics on an issue as explosive as immigration.

''These rallies demonstrated that we can move a lot of people," said Elena Letona, executive director of Centro Presente, a Latin American immigrant organization based in Cambridge. ''But legislatively, the situation is much more complex. We're not naive. We know it's an uphill battle, and that it's far from over."

The rallies were designed to influence national politics while Congress is considering the biggest changes to the nation's immigration laws in 20 years. The chants and signs aimed at sinking the Draconian House bill revealed acute political awareness, and citizens in the crowd vowed to use their votes to oust lawmakers who take anti-immigrant stances.

Yet the rallies also glossed over the legislative details that are vexing Congress as members seek to agree on a way to handle the nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants, organizers conceded yesterday.

Those who marched came not as lobbyists but as human beings, offering themselves and not their slogans in a debate that has upset many of the usual alliances in Washington politics. They brought their young children, wore proud mementos from their home countries, and issued demands for greater inclusion in American society.

''It was really organic," said Flavia Jimenez, an immigration policy analyst at the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group. ''There were people who were in the shadows and had to hide. And all of a sudden there is a vehicle for that person to express that they work hard, that they contribute, and they want some dignity."

The rallies were ''prepolitical," in the sense that they were necessary to establish the organizational maturity of the Latino community, said Michael Jones-Correa, a government professor in Cornell University's Latino studies department.

''You have a moment here that can go in a number of different directions," Jones-Correa said. ''Are these organizations going to be able to capture at least some of these people into more sustained efforts?"

That's no easy task, he said, particularly given the mistrust and differing priorities among Latinos of different nationalities. The immigrant community so far lacks a singular leader who directs strategy and is the embodiment of the movement, said Ali Noorani, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.

''There is no Cesar Chavez. There is no Martin Luther King Jr.," Noorani said. ''The challenge at this point is: OK, we have people excited, we have a sense of energy. How do we impact the consciences of people?"

The dozens of activists who organized Monday's rallies quickly sought ways to follow up. They are laying plans to create political action committees and start voter registration drives, and to persuade legal immigrants to apply for US citizenship.

They are also planning a second day of action on May 1, International Workers' Day. They will ask legal and undocumented immigrants across the country to skip work and spend no money that day.

''You touch people's hearts by touching people's pockets," said Giovanna Negretti, executive director of ¿Oiste?, a Latino political organization in Massachusetts.

The most lasting impact on politics, of course, comes with voting. And while the images on television suggest across-the-board Latino support for more lenient immigration policies, polls indicate that Hispanics are divided.

A survey released last month by the Pew Hispanic Center found that 29 percent of Latinos view immigrants as a burden, a belief shared by 52 percent of respondents of all ethnicities.

''The Hispanic community is not a monolithic community," said Senator Ken Salazar, a Colorado Democrat who is supporting a measure that would give most undocumented immigrants an opportunity to achieve citizenship.

Salazar said that while Monday's rallies may be the most passionate demonstrations since the 1960s, Latinos must build on them.

''It doesn't do very much good if all you do is get people together," he said. ''The sleeping giant will not awake until they get engaged in the civic business of our communities."