Nothing (except possibly Hillary Clinton) seems to rile up Trump’s base more than demonizing immigrants. He built his entire campaign around it and has subsequently followed up his anti-immigrant rhetoric with massive raids to get rid of all undocumented immigrants and some ones who hold lawful status as well.
But immigrants and their allies around the country are prepared to resist and will not go down without a fight. On Thursday, there are plans for a massive boycott called “A Day Without Immigrants.”
Immigrants in D.C. and across the country plan to participate in the “Day Without Immigrants” boycott, a response to President Trump’s pledges to crack down on those in the country illegally, use “extreme vetting” and build a wall along the Mexican border. The social-media-organized protest aims to show the president the effect immigrants have in the country on a daily basis. The boycott calls for immigrants not to attend work, open their businesses, spend money or even send their children to school.
This is not necessarily new. Since 2006, protestors have staged rallies for workers and immigrant rights on May Day (May 1st). And of course in 2004, the movie A Day Without a Mexican provided a satirical look at what it would be like if all the Mexicans in California suddenly disappeared.
Unlike the satire of the movie, the protest represents a very serious message about the contribution of immigrants to the economy and to the fabric of American society. This is also significant given that, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, hate crimes against Muslims, Asians and others (who many others who are often perceived as foreign) are up by 197% since 2016.
It’s important to remember that not everyone is able to participate in the boycott. Immigrants who are undocumented, who are temporary or permanent residents but not yet citizens may be afraid or unable to participate because of retaliation from employers or concerns about unpaid time off. Students in school may risk falling behind in their coursework and some immigrants may fear calling unwanted attention to themselves. These reasons underscore why allies who are in a position to participate should do so.
Some businesses have also committed to participating:
There’s no doubt that those of us on the left are quickly developing protest fatigue. Every day this administration gives us something new to be outraged about and there seems to be no end in sight. It’s going to be a very long four years. But every act of resistance, in an age where we have little political power, is critical. If you can participate in this boycott in some way or help raise awareness for it, it will be a powerful act of solidarity.