ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, February 25—Some 500 immigrant workers and their supporters rallied at the state capitol here today to protest 25 anti-immigrant laws that have been introduced in the General Assembly. Most came on buses from cities throughout Maryland. “Driver’s Licenses For All” and “Education For Our Children” were among the signs in the crowd. One pending bill would require proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for a Maryland driver’s license or ID card. Other bills would declare English the official language, outlaw municipal pro-immigrant ordinances, cut off benefits to those who cannot prove legal status, or require police to enforce federal immigration laws. “We should be able to stay here to work as long as we want,” José Wilbert, a day laborer from Suitland, Maryland, told the Militant.

—JANICE LYNN