NEW YORK ( CNN ) -- Hundreds of people converged on New York 's Union Square Friday for the May Day Immigration Rally , calling for workers ' rights and a path to citizenship for the country 's nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants . New Yorker 's support the rights of undocumented workers on Friday at a May Day rally . The annual event , which began in 2006 , was organized by the May 1st Coalition for Workers and Immigrants Rights . Similar rallies were scheduled across the nation in Boston , Massachusetts ; Detroit , Michigan ; Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania ; San Diego , Los Angeles and San Francisco in California , and San Antonio , Texas , according to the group 's Web site . Following rally cries from speakers in both English and Spanish , demonstrators braved a rainstorm and marched approximately two miles to New York 's Federal Plaza . Among the participants was Saul Linares , who emigrated from El Salvador six years ago and works at a Long Island factory making equipment for the U.S. Army . Linares is particularly concerned about children who are American citizens , yet whose illegal immigrant parents have been deported . `` The children are living alone , sometimes with relatives , at churches or with neighbors , '' he said . Teresa Gutierrez , a co-coordinator of the event , blames current government policy for the United States ' immigration woes . She said she believes the Clinton administration 's landmark 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement , or NAFTA -- which was meant to promote cross-border growth between the United States and Mexico -- actually had exploitive effects on the Mexican population . `` Immigrants came because of NAFTA . They do n't risk their lives crossing the border because they want to , but because they have to , '' she said . A smaller anti-illegal immigration rally assembled across the street , organized by the New Yorkers for Immigration Control and Enforcement . Charles Maron , a New York firefighter and husband of a first generation Pakistani , believes illegal immigrants who commit crimes should be deported . `` Someone who comes , teaches their kids the American way , I support that . '' Participants in the May Day rally included people from Latin America , Africa and the Middle East . According to Gregory Jesus Luc , who is producing a documentary about the plight of Haitian immigrants , `` It 's about awareness , letting media and America know that we are immigrants and we are the backbone of this country . ''
May Day rally seeks path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants . Similar rallies take place in cities across United States . Anti-illegal immigration rally in New York draws a smaller crowd .