Atlanta Latino/Mario Guevara and Edwin Mesa/[[June 21, 2007]]link: atlantalatino.com/detail.php?id=7701

Holding lit candles in their hands more than 10,000 people of different races and nationalities -wearing white T-shirts and united under one cause- stood on Monday afternoon praying in the "Vigil for Comprehensive Immigration Reform."

The event, which was organized by the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights in conjunction with other leaders in the Hispanic community, took place in the north parking lot of Plaza Fiesta and lasted more than three hours.

The former Mexican consul in Atlanta Teodoro Maus, who is also one of the leaders of GLAHR, stated that the DeKalb County Police Department estimated that about 11,000 to 12,000 people (men, women, and children) participated.

...Maus added that GLAHR plans to take a trip to the capital to lobby for their position.

...the DJs of local radio stations like Viva, El Patron, La Ley, La Raza, La Que Buena and La Favorita, among others, stayed at the podium the entire time.

Evangelical pastors, reverends and Lutheran and Catholic priests, among other religious leaders, were the main speakers at the event. Local political leaders like state Rep. Pedro Marin (D-Duluth) and state Sen. Curt Thompson (D-Norcross) also participated. The comments of both leaders caused many to feel uncomfortable as some said they were "full of hypocrisy."

...A few people from the group, The Samaritans, a Christian, humanitarian group that helps immigrants in the dessert, carried posters that read, "No more deaths on our borders."

For the Pastor Jonathan Scanlon of Central Presbyterian Church, the laws of God should override the laws of men...

Vernon Jones, the CEO of DeKalb County who is a Democrat attended the protest...