The New Challenges Facing the Immigrant Rights Movement

Despite this terrible reality, however, millions of undocumented immigrants supported the bipartisan immigration proposal--because "something seemed better than nothing." The bill's defeat was mostly engineered by the most anti-immigrant lawmakers in Congress--another reason why many people saw the outcome as a setback for immigrant rights.

Nationally syndicated and hugely popular morning radio talk show host Eddy "Piolín" Sotelo, who was a major supporter of the 2006 May Day marches, collected 1 million pro-reform postcards and organized a caravan to Washington, D.C., to personally lobby for the bill.

The bill's failure will surely lead many people to feel betrayed and fear that the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will now unleash a new round of raids designed to terrorize their families.

Even as we clarify why we opposed the bill and why we now believe we have the chance to fight for much better legislation in the coming months and years, we have to keep in mind that many people will be bitterly disappointed by the bill's failure. Therefore, we have to explain how to move ahead.