Collegiate Times

On Monday, a widespread ?Day Without Immigrants? was observed across the United States. Illegal and legal immigrants alike gathered for marches, prayers and demonstrations to show their importance to the country. The thousands who chose to participate boycotted work, school and shopping for the day to emphasize how the American economy is affected by their presence in the United States.

Monday?s protests came in response to a recent bill passed by the House of Representatives that would classify all illegal immigrants in the United States as felons, punish those found to be helping or aiding them and provide funding for building a fence along the United States-Mexican border.

According to The Associated Press, Jose Cruz, from El Salvador, took the day off from his construction job in order to support the massive protest.

?If I lose my job, it?s worth it,? said Cruz, who has a temporary work permit granted to many Central Americans. ?It?s worth losing several jobs to get my papers.?

Those who took the day off from work and school affected cities all over the United States. One example was a march of 1,200 people in Homestead, Fla., home to one of Florida?s largest immigrant populations. Six of the 14 Perdue chicken plants nationwide also closed for the day as management expected labor shortages. A rally in Chicago representing the city?s minority population, as well as labor groups, brought out 300,000 people to support the cause.

?This will symbolize the interdependence of all of us, not just immigrants, but all of society,? said Chung-Wa Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition in the Associated Press article.

While the ?Day Without Immigrants? represents an impressive showing, it is unlikely that it will directly lead to an actual change. Instead, the rally indicates more of a symbolic effort. The rallies themselves send a powerful message about standing up for legislation one doesn?t believe in ? reminiscent of the 1960s, some might argue. When viewing the many different rallies as a whole, the obvious overarching message is that immigration is a big deal. A day such as this makes the issue more visible to people on the ground level: not just politicians. Average Americans care.

This national day of immigration protests begs for action. The government needs to realize how integrated and in-touch with American life many illegal immigrants are, especially if they have already been living here undetected for many years. The solution cannot be to just ?send them back.? The situation is nowhere near that simple. Government officials need to work together to come up with an imaginative solution to help the most possible people who, by whatever means, exist as a portion of society that is not only functional but vital. At the same time, a plan also needs to be put into action that would stop the continued illegal immigration of mass numbers of people.

This issue of illegal immigration needs to be taken seriously. If anything, this ?Day Without Immigrants? should make government officials and Americans alike aware that the issue of illegal immigration is not going to disappear, and it is up to us to take action.