Hundreds Rally in Support of Immigration

Citing the need to correct "serious flaws" in the nation's immigration system, hundreds of people gathered at a church in Elizabeth on Saturday for a town meeting.

The "Family Unity" day event was part of a national effort to end deportations and raids that immigration activists say destroy families.

The forum was co-sponsored by the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey, headed by Martin Perez. He told the gathering that children are forced to live apart from their parents, while others live in the shadows, fearing a workplace raid or a knock on their door.

In New Jersey, activists say thousands of illegal immigrants have been arrested in their homes in pre-dawn raids, and then deported, in recent years. Critics have characterized the raids as overzealous efforts that separate families and do little to address illegal immigration.

Meanwhile, a renewed push is under way to grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrant students in New Jersey who live here for several years and complete high school.

A state panel on immigrant issues recently endorsed the idea, which has the support of Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

New Jersey's U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez is co-sponsoring similar federal legislation called the DREAM Act. And the College Board, made up of 5,000 schools, endorsed the idea this week.

State rules now require undocumented students to pay out-of-state tuition rates, even if they've spent most of their lives in New Jersey schools.

Opponents of the tuition proposal say such incentives encourage illegal immigration and reward lawbreakers.