By YUDY PINEIRO

When Ana Portillo came to this country 14 years ago from El Salvador in search of that fabled dream, never did she imagine that her family would be torn apart.

But on March 27, immigration officials raided her Florida City home, scooping up and jailing the father of her two children, Rene Villalta. They called the family's chief breadwinner a criminal for failing to renew his visa.

Immigrant-rights advocates, who gathered for a peaceful demonstration on Saturday in Florida City, say it's cases such as Portillo's that highlight the need for comprehensive immigration reform and a stop to raids that are breaking up homes.

''We're not here because of nationality,'' said Jose Lagos, president of Honduran Unity. ``We're here because there's a human disaster that's separating families. It's immoral. It's unjust to separate families. We're a country of liberty.''

The event was organized in honor of last week's May Day, or May 1, which is known as International Workers Day in Latin America and the Caribbean -- and a day historically chosen for immigration rallies.

But this year, local immigrant-rights advocacy groups chose to skip the traditional march, which they say has backfired by turning off many Americans to immigration issues. Instead, they hosted a multicultural celebration of sorts -- primarily with folkloric music and traditional dishes from a score of Latin American countries.

WAVING OLD GLORY

By design, only American flags, were flown at the event.

''We're from different cultures, but what unites us all is the United States of America,'' said Marina Araujo, a Coral Gables resident of Colombian descent. ``We are all one under the American flag.''

Organizers also hoped that by waiting until Saturday they would draw a larger crowd than the thousands from past years. But they weren't surprised when fewer than 350 people attended. Many immigrants, they said, might have feared a raid.

While more muted than years past, the message -- the continued push for immigration reform and an extension of Temporary Protected Status -- was not absent from the event.

On stage, organizers hoisted a banner that emphasized the phrase: ''Liberty and Justice for All.'' Other signs read: ''My Dream: The American Dream''; ''Citizenship: Yes. Deportation: No.''; ``Today We March. Tomorrow We Vote.''

Marlinis Mazariegos, a Florida City resident who came to the United States from Guatemala more than a decade ago, said she attended the event in search of support.

''These events are good because we're blind, we don't know where to turn for help, we don't know what rights we have,'' she said.

FUTURE IN LIMBO

After 15 years in this country, Mazariegos said she's unsure whether she can remain in the country if the owner of the nursery where she works continues to cut her hours in response to the tough economic times. He's already laid off quite a few employees, she said.

''At least I still have food to eat, but if I lose my job, I don't know what I'll do,'' she said. ``There aren't jobs anywhere.''

Mazariegos joined the crowd in waving a white flag symbolizing peace and an American flag while chanting: ``United we can.''