It began as any other day with the sun crawling over San Diego’s freeways and streets. But there were fewer of us rushing to get to jobs and classes that morning, as some workers and students stayed away in order to be part of the nationwide Day Without Immigrants protest.
Organized as a counter to President Trump’s recent deportation orders, travel ban for some Muslim-majority nations and calls for a wall along the border, the protest hit some businesses hard while leaving others untouched, according to an article in the Union-Tribune.
The newspaper said the protest seemed to have more of an impact in cities such as Washington D.C. and Chicago than it did here.
However, one of the businesses that shuttered for the day here was LGBT Chiropractic, where owner Dr. Angel Ochoa-Rea said he is opposed to recent raids in immigrant communities that he said do not accurately reflect America’s values. He came to the U.S. from Mexico when he was just 5, he told the paper.
He said part of the reason he closed his office for the day was to help make the point that immigrants are not just working in restaurants.
“We are also doctors, pilots and lawyers and attorneys,” Ochoa-Rea said.
Some of the other businesses that closed on Thursday included the Fox Sports Grill and Alamilla’s Mexican Food, both downtown, Souplantation in Carmel Valley, Cafe on Park in Hillcrest, and two North Park businesses, Jayne’s Gastropub and Senor Mangos.
Souplantation closed after four employees did not show; a manager said workers who took the day off would not be subject to discipline.
The co-owner of Jayne’s Gastropub said the dozen workers there are from far-flung homes in England, Mexico, France and Latvia.
“There’s a lot of fear and concern among immigrant people all over the place,” he said.
Dealing with detention and deportation matters can be frightening and the paperwork and processes can be confusing. A conversation with a San Diego immigrantion law attorney can help make your options clear.