Organisers of Sunday's protest rally for foreign workers in the Northern Marianas say it was well-supported by local businesses and individuals.
Rabby Syed of the United Workers' Movement says about 5-thousand people took part in the motorcade to show support for the U.S. Department of the Interior's recommendation for improved immigration status for some 15 thousand foreign workers.
The governor of the Northern Marianas, Benigno Fitial, has left for Washington to personally deliver what his administration terms as a unified position opposing the recommendation.
But Mr Syed says the rally showed it isn't just foreign workers who support moves for better immigration status.
"That makes me really optimistic now that it's not all people that don't want it, don't support it. There's alot people out there that support us. They support our cause. They want to see us stay here the way many years we are living here."
Rabby Syed says many local businesses gave anonymous donations of water, printing materials and hardware for the rally.
