Half a million protesters in US rally for illegal immigrant rights

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Up to half a million Hispanics and their supporters poured onto the streets of Dallas April 9, to rally for the rights of immigrants as Democrats and Republicans remain at "logger-heads" over the overhaul of immigration laws.

Many wore white t-shirts to symbolise peace, waved American flags and voiced their anger at Congress' failure to pass reforms that would help many of the estimated 11-12 million illegal immigrants to become citizens.

The rally came a day ahead of other planned protests that are to take place on Monday 10th of April, in 60 cities throughout the United States.

Thousands of protesters marched in other cities on Sunday, including Detroit and Salt Lake City.

Immigrants are venting their anger at a bill passed by the House of Representatives that would make illegal immigrants felons and build a 698 mile wall along parts of the Mexican border. The bill contains no provision for guest workers.

A bipartisan compromise on guest workers that would have put millions of illegal immigrants on the road to citizenship broke down in the Senate April 7, amid bickering between Democrats and Republicans over possible ammendments.

The collapse of discussions in the Senate has raised doubts of whether Congress can pass the legislation before Novermber's mid-term elections.

If senators can pass the bill, lawmakers from both sides of Congress would have to work out their differences for a final bill to be passed through the House.

The Senate will recommence after a two week break for Easter and try again to "hammer out" a bill that satsifies both parties in a vote on the future of US illegal immigrants.