Hundreds of Hispanic families took to the streets to call for comprehensive immigration reform. Photo courtesy of Alliance for Citizenship.

The “National Day of Dignity and Respect” on October 5, 2013 was a huge event in the United States involving hundreds of vigils, marches and pilgrimages across the country that demanded definitive immigration reform.

One of the largest gatherings took place at Washington DC's National Mall.

The shutdown of government operations that began on the October 1 has threatened the country's economic stability. As Republican and Democrat Members of Congress have not reached agreement on a spending plan for the new financial year and the start of the so-called “Obamacare” healthcare program, important issues like immigration reform have been in danger of once again being left behind. In the midst of this government chaos, the Democrats in the Lower House presented their own bill on the 2nd of October aiming to improve immigration law, while also calling for Republican Members of Congress to take immediate action.

The national march received support from figures such as the Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emmanuel and the Governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn, who came together in Chicago's Union Park to request an end to deportations and to vote for proposed changes to federal immigration law. Another march is expected to take place on October 8, called “Camino Americano”, which aims to bring together thousands of people in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

On Twitter, the hashtag #TimeIsNow was created for the national march, and these were some of the most notable comments:

The cost of @SpeakerBoehner‘s inaction on #immigration reform? 112,684 deportations and counting: http://t.co/KRrK6bEKcz #Oct5 #TimeIsNow

— Gabe Ortíz (@TUSK81) October 5, 2013

The #timeisnow for Republican House members who support real #immigration reform to step up. No excuses http://t.co/QyHyVxYVTf

— Frank Sharry (@FrankSharry) October 3, 2013