Demonstrators rally downtown Los Angeles, Tuesday, May 1, 2007. Immigrants demanding a path to citizenship for an estimated 13 million illegal immigrants hope that nationwide marches will spur Congress to act before the looming presidential primaries take over the political landscape. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

    LOS ANGELES, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people Tuesday took to the streets in downtown Los Angeles, calling for the legalization of the status of illegal immigrants.

    The turnout was much smaller than that on the same day last year, when an estimated 500,000 protestors rallied in downtown Los Angeles.

    Police estimated the number of Tuesday's protestors at about 10,000, and no violence was reported.

    The protestors assembled near the Olympic Boulevard and Broadway before marching to the City Hall.

    With some waving Mexican and American flags, and others holding placards reading "Legalization Now!" and "Stop the deportations," the protestors shouted and sang along their route to press home their call for a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

    "All we are asking is for a clear path to become citizens," said Jose Machuca, a 37-year-old janitor who migrated to Los Angeles from El Salvador five years ago.

    "This country does not understand how hard we work and what we really do," Machuca said while carrying an American flag outside City Hall. "We just want to contribute and feed our families."

    "It's a great day to be out here, everyone is in such a good mood," Nydia Gutierrez, 29, said. "My parents are from Mexico, and I am here to support them and people like them who have a tough time becoming legal."

    Spanish music blasted from speakers mounted on a truck and people chanted for immigration rights as the event took on a celebratory tone. Most participants wore white T-shirts and waved the Stars and Stripes more than any other national flag.

    Organizers said they planned more protests in the afternoon in other parts of the city.

    The goal of the rallies was to gain full legalization for the estimated 13 million undocumented workers living in the United States, about 1 million of whom live in Southern California, according to organizers with the March 25th Coalition, a strong advocate for immigration rights.

    Two Congressmen, Democrat Luis Gutierrez from Illinois and Republican Jeff Flake from Arizona, introduced a compromise bill in March that would allow millions of undocumented immigrants to become legal residents by leaving the country, then returning.

    The measure also calls for illegal immigrants living in the United States as of June 1, 2006, to remain on six-year work visas. During that time, they must take English and civics lessons and pay a 2,000-dollar fine and back taxes.

    While the measure has gained support from immigration rights groups, anti-illegal immigration activists have decried the proposal as "amnesty in disguise."

    Republicans in the House of Representatives killed a proposed guest worker program last year. Congress is expected to take up the illegal immigration debate again later this month.