Cuban Americans aren't as interested in fighting for immigration reform as are other immigrant groups, leaders of those other groups say.

BY OSCAR CORRAL, CASEY WOODS AND NATALIE P. McNEAL

Half a million people marched in Dallas. Another 500,000 took to the streets in Los Angeles. Even tiny Tyler, Texas, saw 2,000 people show up at a rally to urge Congress to find a way to legalize undocumented immigrants.

But Miami is unlike any of those places. The rallies here have been relatively small, and concentrated mostly outside of Miami's urban core. Sunday's rally in downtown drew between 3,000 and 5,000 people, despite Miami's Census-bestowed title as America's most immigrant-filled big city.

So why has South Florida been relatively subdued at a time when the immigration debate is at the forefront of national discourse?

There is no single reason, observers say. It's partly the nature of Miami's unique immigrant environment: heavy on Cubans, Jamaicans and Haitians, and short on Mexicans, who make up the vast majority of legal and undocumented immigrants in the country and who have been at the forefront of marches in other cities.

There's also a sense from some immigrant advocates that helping the undocumented legalize their status is not a fight that South Florida's powerful Cuban American community embraces.

''There [have] been some divisions in the interests of each community,'' said Cuban exile Activist Ramon Saul Sanchez, who is helping immigrants from other nationalities organize marches and events. ``But I think we are starting to see that gap be bridged.''

Still, Cubans, the region's predominant and most politically influential immigrant group, are taking heat for not doing more.

Marleine Bastien, a Haitian American activist who heads Haitian Women of Miami, said that Haitians have tried to reach out to South Florida's Cuban power base, particularly on immigration issues.

''We have not had the strong showing of support that would be strong enough to generate change,'' Bastien said. ``I believe the different groups have formed imaginary walls.''

As of 2003, Miami-Dade County remained the only large county in the nation where more than half of the people are immigrants, according to a U.S. Census survey. About 51 percent of Miami-Dade's 2.3 million residents are foreign-born. In Broward, about 28 percent of the county's 1.7 million residents are immigrants.

While Miami is relatively welcoming to immigrants -- the surprise raids on illegal immigrants that occur often in cities like Los Angeles and San Diego are not as frequent here -- some feel there is a class divide among immigrants.

''The more affluent people, or the ones who have legal status, may not be likely to identify with this issue,'' said Elizabeth M. Aranda, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Miami. ``Some don't want to acknowledge that the opportunity here may not be equal and open to all.''

Unlike any other immigrant group, Cubans can stay in the United States if they make it to land under the controversial ''wet-foot, dry-foot'' policy. The Cuban Adjustment Act allows them to apply for a green card and eventual citizenship.

''We have supported them in their causes, and they should be supporting us,'' said Hernando Torres, a coordinator with Pro-Immigrant Colombians.

Particularly offensive to some have been comments made on Cuban radio talk shows that were critical or negative about undocumented immigrants.

''People get on those awful programs and say that those who are undocumented are delinquents and that they don't belong here,'' said Herman Martinez of the human rights organization American Friends Service Committee.

The racial makeup of South Florida's immigrant community also contributes to less involvement. The vasts majority of illegal immigrants in this country are not black, said Jamaican talk radio host Winston Barnes, host of The Open Line, on WAVS 1170 AM, a Caribbean-focused radio station in Davie.

Caribbean immigrants from Jamaica and Haiti seem to be as apathetic as the Cubans. Barnes said he had callers phone in, urging people to attend demonstrations, ``but a lot of people just don't go.''

Ninoska Perez-Castellon, a commentator on the conservative Spanish language Cuban exile station Radio Mambi, said that while Cubans support immigrants, some may feel hesitant to get involved because they perceive pro-immigrant movements to be leftist.

''No one understands the plight of immigrants better than Cubans,'' Perez-Castellon said. "But maybe one of the reasons Cubans don't get involved is because they see these movements and marches full of people wearing Che Guevara shirts.''

Cuban-American politicians have been vocal about their support for immigration reform.

For instance, the Miami City Commission unanimously backed a resolution last week urging Congress to legalize undocumented immigrants.

And on Sunday, U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a Cuban American, spoke to a pro-immigration crowd at the downtown rally.