Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 17 February 2017
‘Day Without Immigrants’: Protest Closes Businesses in US

ERRIN HAINES WHACK cannot function without
Associated Press immigrant workers today.”
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The At a White House news
heart of Philadelphia’s conference held as the
Italian Market was un- lunch-hour protests unfold-
commonly quiet. Fine res- ed, Trump boasted of his
taurants in New York, San border security measures
Francisco and the nation’s and immigration arrests of
capital closed for the day. hundreds of people in the
Grocery stores, food trucks, past week, saying, “We
coffee shops, diners and are saving lives every single
taco joints in places like day.”
Chicago, Los Angeles and Since the end of 2007,
Boston shut down. the number of foreign-
Immigrants around the U.S. born workers employed
stayed home from work in the U.S. has climbed by
and school Thursday to nearly 3.1 million to 25.9
demonstrate how impor- million; they account for
tant they are to America’s 56 percent of the increase
economy, and many busi- in U.S. employment over
nesses closed in solidar- that period, according to
ity, in a nationwide protest the Labor Department.
called A Day Without Immi- Roughly 12 million people
grants. Luis Arce Mota, the chef and co-owner of La Contenta, talks about his decision to close his restau- are employed in the res-
The boycott was aimed rant for the day, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, in New York. Mota, from Mexico, is now a U.S. citizen. Im- taurant industry, and im-
squarely at President Don- migrants around the U.S. stayed home from work and school Thursday to demonstrate how impor- migrants make up the ma-
tant they are to America’s economy and its way of life, and many businesses closed in solidarity.
ald Trump’s efforts to step (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan jority — up to 70 percent in
up deportations, build a places like New York and
wall at the Mexican bor- were disruptive, if not halt- home,” said Hessel Du- lence. Chicago, according to
der and close the nation’s ing. More actions are be- arte, a 17-year-old native The protest even reached the Restaurant Opportuni-
doors to many travelers. ing planned for May 1 — of Honduras who lives in into the U.S. Capitol, where ties Centers United, which
Organizers said they ex- known as May Day, the Austin, Texas, with his fam- a Senate coffee shop was works to improve working
pected thousands to par- internationally recognized ily and skipped class at his among the eateries that conditions. An estimated
ticipate or otherwise show holiday honoring workers. high school to take part in were closed as employees 1.3 million in the industry
support. “I fear every day wheth- one of several rallies held did not show up at work. are immigrants in the U.S. il-
It was unclear how many er I am going to make it around the country. Duarte Organizers appealed to legally, the group said.
people participated, but back home. I don’t know said he arrived in the U.S. at immigrants from all walks of The construction industry,
in many cities, the actions if my mom will make it age 5 to escape gang vio- life to take part, but the ef- which likewise employs
fects were felt most strong- large numbers of immi-
ly in the restaurant industry, grants, also felt the effects
which has long been a of Thursday’s protest.
first step up the economic Shea Frederick, who owns
ladder for newcomers to a small construction com-
America with its many jobs pany in Baltimore, showed
for cooks, dishwashers and up at 7 a.m. at a home he
servers. Restaurant own- is renovating and found
ers with immigrant roots that he was all alone, with
of their own were among a load of drywall ready for
those acting in solidarity install. He soon understood
with workers. why: His crew, five immi-
Expensive restaurants and grants, called to say they
fast-food joints alike closed, weren’t coming to work.
some perhaps because They were joining the pro-
they had no choice, others tests.
because of what they said “I had an entire day of full
was sympathy for their im- work,” he said. “I have in-
migrant employees. Sushi spectors lined up to inspect
bars, Brazilian steakhouses, the place, and now they’re
Mexican eateries and Thai thrown off, and you do it
and Italian restaurants all the day before the week-
turned away lunchtime end and it pushes things off
customers. even more. It sucks, but it’s
“The really important dy- understandable.”
namic to note is this is not Frederick said that while
antagonistic, employee- he fundamentally agrees
against-employer,” said with the action, and ap-
Janet Murguia, president preciates why his crew felt
of the Hispanic rights group the need to participate, he
National Council of La feels his business is being
Raza. “This is employers made to suffer as a result
and workers standing to- of the president’s policies.
gether, not in conflict.” “It’s hurting the wrong peo-
She added: “Businesses ple,” he said. q