May Day march begins
Thousands of people are crowding the streets of downtown Los Angeles, many carrying yellow signs and others with American flags, descended on downtown Los Angeles as part of the annual immigration rights march.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said he would not attend the protest.
"I've not been a shrinking violet when it comes to this issue," Villaraigosa said. "I don't feel the need to be at every march."
One of the big issues for immigrants recently has been the recent raids by Immigration and Custom Enforcement on downtown employers.