There were expressions of support to immigrant rights in over eighty cities, as civil rights groups have denounced the law passed in Arizona allows to arrest people based on racial profiling, since the police may interrogate any suspect of being an undocumented immigrant.

According to the new law, known as SB 1070, if after someone is detained it is determined that the person lacks documents proving that he or she is a US citizen or has a residence permit, the person is handed over to the authorities.

Democracy Now! reported that some of the largest protests took place in Los Angeles, Dallas, Milwaukee, New York and Washington. Congressman Luis Gutierrez participated in one of the rallies outside the White House. He was wearing a t-shirt that read “arrest me, not my friends”.
Gutierrez was arrested after the protest, together with another thirty five people. The following day, the congressman was in the CBS show “Face the nation”, where he explained his position.
“We were protesting the fact that hundreds of thousands of immigrant families have been destroyed." Gutierrez said there are approximately 4 million American children whose immigrant parents have been deported or are under threat of deportation.

Renowned stars were also present at the May Day Protests. Actor Martin Sheen attended the Los Angeles rally for immigrant rights. He said that the passing of the law in Arizona has sparked the discussion of a real national immigration reform that respects the immigrant rights. Porto Rican singer Ricky Martin and Colombian singer Shakira also opposed the anti-immigration law and demanded a new law that would neither discriminate, nor violate human rights.