Businesses Shut Across US for 'Day Without Immigrants'

Several businesses across the U.S. plan to close their doors on Monday as part of an initiative that seeks to raise awareness of the role immigrants play in the American workforce and economy.

The social media campaign, called "Day Without Immigrants," is a response to the anti-immigration policies of President Donald Trump, who has pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation program in U.S. history.

"Let's raise our voices for our rights and our community," an Instagram post promoting the initiative said.

Why It Matters

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump promised to introduce harsh policies to curb illegal immigration to the United States. Upon returning to the White House, he signed sweeping executive orders that declared a national emergency at the U.S-Mexico border, barred asylum for people arriving at the southern border and suspended the Refugee Admissions Program.

A New York Times/Ipsos poll conducted between January 2 and 10 found that 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported Trump's immigration policies. Eighty-eight percent supported "deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records." Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans agree that the immigration system is broken.

What To Know

Several restaurants and retail shops across the country—including in California, Minnesota, Colorado, Indiana and Washington, D.C.—have announced that they are taking part in a strike on Monday, inviting customers to refrain from shopping in solidarity with migrant workers.

In posts shared on social media platforms, the campaign calls for a day without school, work or shopping to highlight the role played by immigrants in local communities and the national economy. "We are essential. We are strong. We are community," the posts said.

Osman Milla, who helped to organize the strike, told Newsweek: "Our team of organizers decided to host the 'Day without Immigrants' to showcase national unity in response to the anxiety that many immigrants are currently feeling."

"Anyone anywhere in the U.S. can participate by not working, not shopping, and skipping school for the day. We want participants to use social media with the tag #DayWithoutImmigrants to post comments celebrating the contributions of immigrants throughout the history of the U.S.," he added.

"Our hope is that there is unity. America is the great melting pot and an image of freedom and hope for migrants and residents," Milla said. "Current policies cannot divide us. We hope that on the Day without Immigrants, our absence shows that America's strength has and always will be diversity."

Businesses have announced their participation in the initiative on social media. Mota Tacos, a Mexican restaurant in Indianapolis, told Newsweek it would be closed on Monday "to honor the significant contributions that immigrants have made to our nation, as well as to highlight the positive effects of our labor on the economy, culture, and media."

In a statement, the restaurant added: "In light of the prevailing political environment that has welcomed violence and animosity within our communities, we recognized the necessity of taking action. Our involvement in this movement serves as a rejection of the harmful narrative that portrays immigrants as a threat."

ABC7 reported that more than 60 businesses in Illinois and California were taking part in the initiative. While backing the idea behind the boycott, Jaime di Paulo, the president and CEO of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, told the outlet that he feared the initiative could have a negative effect on the community.

"We are the livelihoods of the community. If we go under, the community goes under," he said. "We've seen it in many areas in the city of Chicago, so I encourage people to do what they want to do, but if they ask me, they should open the stores and encourage people to shop local."

Di Paulo said several local Latino businesses had been losing money since Trump's inauguration on January 20.

A "Day Without Immigrants" was first held across the U.S. in February 2017 in response to Trump's promises to crack down on immigration. The boycott planned for Monday follows demonstrations in Los Angeles. On Sunday, thousands of residents took to the streets to protest against Trump's mass deportations.

The Role of Immigrant Workers

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 31 million foreign-born workers accounted for 18.6 percent of the U.S. civilian labor force in 2023. Almost half of these workers (47.6 percent) were Hispanic, while one quarter (25.1) were Asian.

In the same year, the data showed, foreign-born workers were more likely than U.S.-born workers to be employed in service occupations within sectors such as construction, maintenance, production and transportation. They were less likely to be employed in management, professional, sales or office occupations. Overall, foreign-born workers earned 87 percent as much as U.S.-born workers, the bureau said.

According to data from the Pew Research Center, 8.3 million unauthorized immigrants were part of the U.S. workforce in 2022, representing about 4.8 percent of all workers. That figure peaked in 2007 at 5.4 percent.

What Happens Next

Since Trump's inauguration, ICE and the White House have published daily updates on the numbers of immigrants arrested. While the surge in raids have raised concerns among charities and groups supporting migrant rights, they are likely to continue under the president's hard-line immigration agenda.

On Wednesday, Trump announced plans to use Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. naval base in Cuba, as a detention site for 30,000 migrants.