Wearing orange jumpsuits to dramatize their "criminal" status, several people turned themselves into Minneapolis police Monday to protest immigration proposals that would penalize people who help undocumented workers.

People who would be made "criminals" by the Sensenbrenner bill, HR 4437, line up in orange prison jumpsuits. Photo by Mary Turck

The demonstration was held at noon outside the Hennepin County Government Center.

"We will all be criminals if Congress passes the immigration legislation it is now considering," says Teresa Ortiz, who works with immigrants through the Centro de Derechos Laborales of the Resource Center of the Americas.

Legislation proposed by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., "would criminalize the provision of assistance to undocumented persons," according to Ann Shuetz, education program associate for Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights. "Anyone, including U.S. citizens, who assist an undocumented person to remain in the U.S. would be guilty of 'smuggling.' This would criminalize the work of social service organizations, refugee agencies, churches, attorneys, hospitals, employers, and others."

Monday's demonstration was sponsored by AFFIRM (the Alliance For Fair Federal Immigration Reform of Minnesota) and member groups including religious, labor and civic organizations.

Sister Gabriel Herbers delivers a scroll with names of immigration "criminals" to Minneapolis Deputy Police Chief Sharon Lubinski. Photo by Mary Turck