While scrolling on social media on Feb. 2, I came across a post that advocated for a movement called “A Day Without Immigrants,” something that caught my immediate uttermost attention.
“A Day Without Immigrants” is a nationwide movement that took place on Feb. 3 to show support and spread awareness toward immigrants to show what America would be without immigrants. From boycotting businesses to staying home from work and school, many decided to take action to join the cause and express their support for immigrants and the economic impact they have in this country. Fifty one students at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) were absent on Feb. 3.
Throughout the day, I kept scrolling through social media platforms like Instagram to find out more about the movement and stumbled across multiple videos of people advocating for the movement as they waved their country’s flags up high with such pride. The pride the protestors had when holding up their flags to demonstrate their support was inspiring. That same inspiration from watching all the passionate, emotional voices advocating for what’s right in a series of numerous posts is what inspired me to take action for the “A Day Without Immigrants” movement.
On Feb. 3, I didn’t go to school and stayed home as I knew it was the right thing to do. As someone who comes from Guatemalan immigrant parents, I knew that if I didn’t participate in the movement, it seemed like a betrayal. It would be a betrayal to all the hard-working, persevering humans, like my parents, who have fought hard to be in the country and contribute significantly to the well-being of the U.S. To carry that guilt that I didn’t do anything to demonstrate my support toward my loved ones and every immigrant in the country was unacceptable to me.
Although I didn’t participate in any protests firsthand, I tried spreading awareness and advocacy from home. I started researching immigration policies and news to keep myself informed on the latest news. I also started sending out posts to people I know, such as friends and family, to spread awareness about the movement and generally the whole subject of immigration. In times like these, I believe the power of being informed is vital as it helps us make informed, responsible decisions.
Under President Donald Trump’s administration, immigrant policies have been severely stricter as one of Trump’s largest campaign promises is to mass deport undocumented immigrants to prevent undocumented immigration. With programs such as the “Remain in Mexico” program and actions such as signing an executive order to declare a national emergency at the United States-Mexico border, Trump has made his negative, distasteful stance on immigrants clear.
Undocumented immigration has become a controversial issue that’s been dealt with in a series of ways from temporarily suspending the entry of people at borders to building border walls. However, to have overcrowded groups of humans bundled up together and trapped within confined fences like animals in cages for days on end in detention centers is absurdly inhumane. Out of all the ways possible to deal with undocumented immigration, this is the most inappropriate, improper way to deal with the subject.
Not only that, but causing overwhelming amounts of terror and stress toward undocumented immigrants by taking away the safety of places such as churches, schools and hospitals as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is now no longer staying away from these locations. Having the constant fear of not being deported is something unfair that no one should ever have to experience.
However, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has taken action to provide a sense of security to the community. Throughout LAUSD schools, a variety of resources have been provided to families such as red cards by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center that contain certain rights under the U.S Constitution. The purpose of these cards is to help people know their rights and be able to defend themselves in situations where deportation by ICE is a risk.
Besides movements like these, students from schools such as Garfield High School and Van Nuys High School have taken action by walking out of school and holding their own protests to spread awareness about the current immigration policies as they hold up signs with messages and a variety of flags above their heads. Today, several students from schools such as DPMHS, Birmingham Community Charter High School and Reseda Charter High School walked out of their school campus toward the Van Nuys Courthouse raising posters and chanting “Si se puede!” as they walked down the streets.
Seeing people my age participating in the “A Day Without Immigrants” movement and walkouts to fight for what they believe has been inspirational and gives me hope that change might happen. Although the change in better treatment of undocumented immigrants might happen gradually, it’s better than having to continue to watch both immigrants and undocumented immigrants continually suffer with nothing being done to advocate for them.
To me, supporting families being mercilessly ripped apart from each other and seeing the lives of thousands of innocent people being ruined is something that should never be forgiven. This country is supposed to be united, not separated and divided. More now than ever, it’s important to amplify and advocate for the voices that can’t be made heard and are silenced by fear.
