The CNN Wire reports that thousands of people are expected to pour into Washington for a Sunday rally demanding immigration reform, launching the first public battle over the issue since the announcement of a new bipartisan plan endorsed by President Barack Obama.
While the nation will be focused largely on a more immediate debate - an expected vote over health care reform - the march on the National Mall will be setting the stage for a whole new fight over another of the most contentious issues facing the country.
The organization Reform Immigration for America, which supports a path to citizenship for those in the United States illegally, says the changes it wants to see will help bring about "economic justice for all Americans."
In response, the Federation for American Immigration Reform - which staunchly opposes amnesty - called on Americans to contact their representatives and demand tougher borders and an end to illegal immigration. FAIR says it seeks "effective, sensible immigration policies that work for America's best interests."
In a column published Friday in the Washington Post, the two senators behind the new immigration plan say "The American people deserve more than empty rhetoric and impractical calls for mass deportation."
Read more for a breakdown and summary of the plan in the blog post, Immigration Reform Framework Drafted By Senators.
After meeting with Schumer and Graham - both powerful figures within their parties - earlier this week, President Obama issued a statement saying he was "pleased" to see their "promising, bipartisan framework which can and should be the basis for moving forward. It thoughtfully addresses the need to shore up our borders, and demands accountability from both workers who are here illegally and employers who game the system.
"The "critical next step," Obama said: turning the framework into legislation. He called on Congress "to act at the earliest possible opportunity."
