Shops and restaurants across the nation closed in solidarity today and others braced for a possible shutdown for lack of enough employees as a “Day Without Immigrants” unfolded to underscore how much migrants contribute to the country’s economy and social structure.
USA Today reports immigrants in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Austin and other major U.S. cities planned to stay home from work and school as part of a strike. Demonstrators are also planning to march to the White House at noon.
Coming on the heels of roundups of undocumented immigrants nationwide, organizers urged legal residents as well as undocumented ones to participate in the boycott in response to President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.
“From doctors to dishwashers, immigrants are integral to daily life in the U.S.,” tweeted Janet Murguia, president and CEO of National Council of La Raza, as she praised Spanish-American Chef Jose Andrés’ decision to close his Washington, D.C., restaurants today.
Andrés says he decided to close after a few hundred of his employees told him they weren’t coming to work today. They asked for his support and got it.
“We are all one,” he says. “We should not be fighting among each other, we should all be working together to keep moving the country forward.”
