Tens of thousands of protestors took to the streets across the United States on Tuesday, demanding rights for millions of illegal immigrants in the country.

Protests were staged in several major cities, such Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C.

In Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, some 400 people gathered on the Capitol Hill, in an effort to lobby lawmakers for an immigration bill that would provide an path for citizenship for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country.

Large demonstrations were planned in Los Angeles, California. Media reports said thousands protestors demonstrated in the city, where a major demonstration a year ago brought the city's business district to a halt.

Rallies were also staged in Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; New York City; Denver, Colorado; Orlando, Florida, and some other cities.

The protests on Tuesday marked the first anniversary of massive demonstrations on May 1 last year, which drew more than 1 million people, mostly Hispanic, to the streets for an "economic boycott" by skipping work for a day.

With U.S. authorities intensifying efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, the number of people showing up at this year's demonstrations was much lower.

U.S. President George W. Bush last month unveiled the outlines of his latest immigration proposals, mixing tougher border enforcement and a path to legal status for illegal immigrants and calling for an overhaul of immigration laws by the end of the year.

And on Tuesday, Democrats called for an overhaul of immigration laws. In a statement, Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean said the country needed comprehensive immigration reform that would strengthen its borders, protect U.S. workers, and give immigrants meeting certain requirements to an opportunity to apply for citizenship.

Source: Xinhua