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CBS 2's Joanie Lum, Kris Habermehl, Alita Guillen, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ― More than 150,000 protesters carrying signs, placards and flags marched through downtown Chicago Tuesday afternoon in a massive rally for immigrant rights.

The march for immigration reform began in Union Square at 1:30 p.m. and ended in Grant Park just after 5 p.m. People came from Wisconsin and Indiana -- and represented countries like Poland, Russia, Mexico, Ireland and the United States.

The sea of marchers filled the Loop as they made their way to Grant Park for a rally this afternooon. Chicago police closed streets along the route.

People were shoulder-to-shoulder on the entire breadth of Jackson Boulevard, marching eastbound to Grant Park. They were backed up all the way past the intersection of Desplaines Street to Washington Street.

The crowds, which were much larger than anticipated, snarled traffic in the South Loop and in the vicinity of Washington and Grant parks. The turnout may have been boosted by Tuesday's warm weather.

As CBS 2's Rafael Romo reports, there were many students, including a group from Lincoln Park High School, who decided to march to the beat of drums.

"Just fighting for a cause, which is just coming to this country, work; we're not hurting anybody, just providing for our next generation," said marcher Antonio Melendez.

Immigration reform was at the forefront, but there were also plenty of political messages and cries for justice.

"To show that we will not be put down; to show that we will persevere; and to show that these injustices will no longer continue," student Jesus Rodriguez said were his reasons for marching.

"All people can live safely in this country and cross borders safely and not have to worry about being deported or separated from families or subjected to violence and racism," said one marcher.

There were also many families with small children like, Edgar Gutierrez and his 1-year-old son, Diego.

"We need to fix this," Gutierrez said. "There's a lot of people out there like ghosts."

They were all united around a central message.

"Not one family separated and no child left behind, because that's what's happening with the raids and the deportations and that's why we need a legalization," said Ema Lozano of Center Without Borders.

It was clear from the beginning that the early estimate of 7,000 marchers was going to be too conservative.

By the time the marchers got to Adams and Desplaines streets, where Old St. Patricks's Church is located, the sidewalk-to-sidewalk crowds were estimated at more than 100,000.

At Hutchinson Field in Grant Park dignitaries including Mayor Richard M. Daley spoke in support of the marchers' cause.

"We welcome immigrants to our great city," the mayor told the crowd. "As we look at this skyline, it was built by immigrants."

"We have to understand this country was built by immigrants this is our past and our future," Daley said.

Earlier today, CBS 2's Joanie Lum reported, marchers gathered in Union Park. The atmoshpere was festive, with Latino music blaring from loudspeakers, and some protesters playing drums or singing. Many participants brought their children, and they carried signs such as "Our hard work feeds your families" and "Let families stay families."

Many carried flags, signs and placards, including one that read: "We may not have it all together, but together we can have it all."

They descended on Union Park to represent the needs of family members who can't risk appearing in public.

An open microphone was set up for demonstrators to share their stories of fear, separation and loss, as well as cultural performances.

"I have a son, and my boyfriend is an immigrant," Aryanna Mancilla told CBS 2. "I see how hard it is. It's hard to watch to try to watch out to see if they're going to go to his work to take him away."

With the blessing of her mother, Mancilla skipped school to participate in the immigration rally.

Many participants have close relatives who are in the country working and paying taxes, but they live in fear of being deported.

Melissa Woo, a 22-year-old American citizen who emigrated from South Korea, carried a Korean flag over her shoulder as she criticized politicians, especially the children of immigrants, for "buckling at the knees."

"Us immigrants aren't pieces of trash, we're human beings," she said. "To be treated as less than human is a travesty."

Thomas Rodriguez, of Aurora, stood in Union Park wearing a shirt that said: "We are hard workers. We're not criminals."

The 38-year-old has had no legal status since he came to the United States from Mexico in 1989 and is an employee at a Japanese restaurant in Chicago.

"Recent raids have worried me," he said. "We worry deportations are leaving too many young people without parents."

"My mother thinks that coming out to march is very, very important for the whole family to stay united," said demonstrator Olivia Rodriguez.

Organizers say immigration issues affect every culture.

"It's very easy to become isolated and feel that one particular community is under attack, and there's this need now more than ever that we do come together, especially because there are so many small communities out there that are isolated, and you haven't heard from them," said immigrants' advocate Khem Nuth. "That's why we've been reaching out to the African and the Asian and the other European countries who have been affected by immigration."

Organizers of the rally hope to mimic last year's protest that gathered hundreds of thousands of flag-waving, chanting participants to the heart of downtown. But a last minute venue change by Chicago police have organizers scrambling to publicize a more remote location.

The change came after it was learned that busloads of people from the suburbs were expected to join those who are from the city. The original permit was for 7,000 people, but police say they expect the crowd to be more like 50,000.

Last year, the protest drew 400,000 marchers.

The venue for the rally was changed from Daley Plaza to Grant Park, and organizers criticized police for the last-minute change of venue.

"They announced the decision first and then they called us to consult us," said Jorge Mujica, a spokesman for Chicago's March 10 Movement group. "It doesn't make sense."

But police said Daley Plaza was not big enough to accommodate the marchers. Increased publicity led to the site change, Deputy Superintendent Charles Williams said at a news conference Monday afternoon.

Police warn that there will be major traffic congestion all afternoon and into the evening.

"We expect traffic congestion -- both pedestrian and vehicular -- during most of the day and into the early evening hours when the crowds start to disperse," said Charles Williams of the Chicago Police Department. "There will be rolling street closures and we strongly urge the public to use public transportation."

Crowds may not be as big as last year, but given the inaction on an immigration bill and the recent federal raid on a Little Village shopping center, interest in Tuesday's march gained momentum.

"Hopefully by this show of support, by people supporting legislation, by people registering to vote, we'll see more movement and hopefully the Congress and the president will respond," said immigration reform supporter Jessica Aranda.

The raid last week at the shopping center at 26th Street and Albany Avenue targeted a fraudulent ID ring, in which two of the ringleaders were accused of planning to have their competitors killed.

But some believed the raid by heavily armed Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents was intended to intimidate immigrants and activists in advance of the May Day rally. More than 100 people were handcuffed during the raid.

Merchants from Little Village have said business has been slow since the raid. They planned to join the march Tuesday, demanding an end to the raids and calling for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Eighty percent of area businesses will close for the day to show support.

Some Chicago area immigrants rights groups say that ending deportations and raids are the main message of Tuesday's march. But others disagree.

"There's not homogenous leadership or means of communication," said Gordon Mayer, a vice president of the Community Media Workshop, which helped organize the Chicago march. "There was a sort of energy last year. This year that boulder has split up into a lot of smaller rocks."

Last May 1, the plan was to fight House Resolution 4437, called the Sensenbrenner bill, which proposed making it a felony for all illegal immigrants to live in the United States.

Marchers this year are calling on Cook County Commissioners to pass an ordinance drafted by Roberto Maldonado (D-8th). It would prohibit Cook County employees from asking about a person's immigration status during routine interactions, like traffic stops.

"We're telling our immigrant community we are with you; we support your contribution to our county," Maldonado said.

Once in Grant Park there were speeches from Mayor Richard M. Daley and Commissioner Maldonado.

Board President Todd Stroger supports the measure.

"We're here to make sure people have what they need regardless of where they're from," Stroger said.

But both Stroger and Maldonado acknowledge the county has no jurisdiction over homeland security, so the ordinance will have no impact on raids like the one that took place here.

Organizers said people came from Joliet, Rockford and northern Indiana.

The Chicago march was one of several in the country.

Chicago police report two arrests for graffiti and two first aid calls. The city paid for the police presence. The rest of the cost of Tuesday's rally – such as the portable bathrooms, the buses and all the rest – will be paid by 50 local organizations behind the march.

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