Anti-Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) protests are surging across the country. Hundreds of thousands of people are gathering all over the United States to stand in solidarity of the immigrants who reside in the country.
As a further initiative, the people are following through with an ‘A Day Without Immigrants’ protest on Feb. 3.
“It’s going to show us what life would be like without immigrants, essentially we’re not going to purchase anything and that’s kind of how we get our message across,” said Mayra Felix, a Fresno community member.
On Feb. 2, protestors gathered again on Blackstone and Nees Avenues for an anti-ICE protest at River Park in Fresno.
This is the third major immigration protest in Fresno since the recent Central Valley ICE raids in Kern County.
In Downtown Los Angeles, thousands of protestors went as far as taking over the entire 101 highway, shutting it down on Sunday.
The protests stem from President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration at the southern border, the mass deportations since he took office on Jan. 20 and the executive orders he’s signed so far.
The ‘A Day Without Immigrants’ protest roots from Trump’s first presidential term in 2017, when he announced the construction of the southern border wall.
The boycott aims to prove that immigrants deserve a life in the U.S. because of how much they contribute economically and financially to the country.
Protestors expressed solidarity with immigrants, realizing that a majority of labor jobs are performed by immigrants.
“I came out here because I come from immigrants and I want to be here to support people and I know these people are very hard working, my mom is very hardworking and I just think that they deserve to be here especially since they contribute so much to the U.S. and America is America because of immigrants,” said Kristal Flores, a participating protestor.
Flores said she will be participating in tomorrow’s ‘A Day Without Immigrants’ protest because she claims that without immigrants America would not be where it is today.
“This is going to help to show that immigrants help our economy and they’re the reason that our economy is good and a day without immigrants is going to show that we’re the hard workers and these people need to know that without immigrants America wouldn’t be nothing,” Flores said.
Similarly, Felix’s younger sister, Maritsa Felix shared the same sentiments.
“I think immigrants impact the economy and everything and without immigrants this country would be nothing,” Maritsa said.
Maritsa was at the protest fighting for basic human rights, which she believes everyone deserves.
Mayra said the economy seems like the only way to reach out to government leaders.
“Unfortunately that’s the only way that we can speak to politicians nowadays,” Mayra said. “It’s through money.”
Mayra’s reasoning for participating in the protests is to stand in union with her mom, who is unable to participate herself.
“I decided to come out today to be the voice for my mom,” Mayra said. “My mom is unfortunately not able to be here and I want to be that solidarity for her and show my support because nobody is illegal on stolen land. I want to support and I want to stop the ICE raids and I want to make sure that we’re sharing our voices to make us be loud and clear on where we stand.”
Other protestors said the deportations and family separations need to be stopped.
“We came to support everyone here today on this night because of everything that’s happening with the families that are being deported and just to support them all,” Ish Sanchez said in Spanish. “I believe that we all deserve the respect to be in this country and the right for those who are undocumented to receive some sort of support.”
Sanchez will also be participating in tomorrow’s boycott.
“Tomorrow no school, no work, no nothing, aiming to support all Hispanics,” Sanchez said. “Not only those from Mexico, but I speak generically because here [in Fresno] we’re from all over.”
Protestors are not only immigrants themselves, but also American born citizens fighting for their family members.
“I came today to support my people,” said Margarita Ruiz in Spanish. “I was born here but all my family is from Mexico. What’s happening to students, to all the people that are in labor jobs, I think it’s so unjust and it really matters to me. Instead of throwing us out and saying ‘you’re going to be deported’ they should be helping us get something so we can be here. They know that without us the economy will be horrible.”
Ruiz said tomorrow is crucial because without it, change will not be possible.
“Don’t go out tomorrow, we need to support one another,” Ruiz said. “If we all start going out, when is this ever going to end?”
‘A Day Without Immigrants’ will take place all day tomorrow, with people from across the country taking a stance against ICE.
