US: Immigrant rights groups hope that millions of illegal immigrants in the US will stay at home today and boycott shops and workplaces in a "Day Without Immigrants", a massive protest aimed at highlighting the important role they play in American life.
Under the motto "No Work, No School, No Buying, No Selling", activists have urged America's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants to avoid all economic activity and to keep their children away from school.
President George W Bush has spoken out against the boycott and some immigrant groups, including the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, oppose it as counter-productive.
Juan Jose Gutierrez, the leader of Latino Movement USA, dismissed such fears, claiming that the administration was trying to prevent further large protests over immigration.
"We don't fear any backlash. People are being threatened . . . into changing their mind about participating in May 1st," he said.
Groups opposed to the boycott have called on immigrants to join demonstrations after work instead, and some are organising a voter registration drive aimed at US citizens who are friends or relations of illegal immigrants.
Janet Murguia, president of the National Council of La Raza, a major Latino organisation, said the group hopes to register millions of new voters before November's congressional elections.
"This is a real opportunity for us to recognise there is a next step to all of this. We need to make sure we galvanise this energy and this interest into a real impact," she said.
Mr Bush called together Republican and Democratic senators last week to revive a compromise immigration reform Bill that stalled on the Senate floor before Easter. Senators are expected to return to the Bill next week and Republican and Democratic leaders hope to reach a deal by the end of this month.
Most senators support a Bill that would allow most illegal immigrants to remain in the US and to embark on a path to earned citizenship, but the House of Representatives has passed a Bill that would impose tough penalties on illegal immigrants, none of whom would be allowed to remain in the US.
Any final legislation would be a compromise between measures agreed by the Senate and the House.