Hundreds March in Detroit ‘Day Without Immigrants’ Rally

DETROIT, MI — Hundreds of immigrant-owned businesses closed across southeast Michigan Thursday as part of a nationwide “Day Without Immigrants” strike to demonstrate both the importance of immigrants, and what many see as a heightened anti-immigrant climate under President Donald Trump that could separate families.

Marchers carried signs, chanted “We are here, we are not leaving, we are Americans,” and demonstrated solidarity in protest of Trump’s executive orders and a crackdown nationwide on undocumented immigrants. In the early days of his presidency, Trump has repeated calls to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement, as well as limit the ability of refugees and immigrants from seven majority Muslim nations to the United States.

Maria Sanchez, an organizer of a rally in Clark Park, said the goal of the rallies is to increase the Trump administration’s awareness of the important role immigrants play in the workforce and in society.

As part of the nationwide Day Without Immigrants strike, immigrants were urged on social media to stay home from school or work, and to close their businesses.

“The goal for today is for the President to notice how important Immigrants are for the country and for the economy and how bad it would be for the economy if immigrants weren’t in this country,’’ Sanchez told the Detroit Free Press, adding the rally is “to demand respect for our rights and to unite the immigrant communities.”

“We're very worried for the families who are being separated and for the pain that families are going through,” she said.

• See Also: ‘Day Without Immigrants’ Closes Businesses Across American Cities

Latinos and other immigrants also marched in Pontiac in Oakland County. Fear was thick among the rally participants, who told The Oakland Press they’ve noticed an increased presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border patrol officers in their community.

Michigan United organizer Adonis Flores told the Free Press the Day Without Immigrants rallies are important “because in the current political climate there has been a lot of hate and racism against immigrants and the African American community; people of color.”

“I’m here to support my people, and I’m here to fight for my people,” she said. “We wanted to let the government know that we are not criminals. We are here to work; we are not here to steal anybody’s job.”

Among the businesses that closed Wednesday was Mangonadas Del Barrio, which said on Facebook: “We join the cause a day without immigrants we are Mexicans that day by day we work for a better future. And above all respect our Mexican roots.”

Sheila’s Bakery, located in southwest Detroit, also closed.

“We’ve got to stand and fight for our country,” the bakery manager, Arnold Garcia, told WJBK-TV. “It’s a country of immigrants.”

Below are some scenes from the rally in Detroit.

Photo credit: Social Justice - Bruce Emmerling