This Monday 14 in February is Valentine’s Day, where in honor of Cupid, couples and friends hope to celebrate their love, among other things, going out to dinner. And taking advantage of the famous date, and as a way to clearly demonstrate the importance of immigrant workers in the development of the United States, leaders, activists and community organizations in the Big Apple are calling on New Yorkers to join the call “ Day without immigrants”. Don’t work, don’t send the children to school that day and don’t buy anything.
The initiative, promoted by the tiktoker Carlos Eduardo Espina, which also has the support of New York politicians, such as Congresswoman Alexandría Ocasio Cortez, intend that workers be absent from their jobs, such as restaurants, stores and factories, this Monday, and send a powerful message to Washington about the urgency of approving immigration reform.
The goal of the day, as the famous film by Sergio Arau tried to show it, “A day without Mexicans”, from 2004 , is that for one day the lack of the immigrant force at all levels is felt.
“It has been more than 35 years since immigration reform was approved, and it seems that Congress and President Biden forgot the subject”, commented Espina.
Diana Moreno, from the NICE organization, who has been very active calling her mi members to join the day, explained that they want both Congress and the Biden Administration to take seriously the immigrant community, which helped keep the city and the country standing in the midst of the toughest days of the pandemic. .
“NICE joins the National Strike ‘A Day Without Immigrants’ to send a strong message to our elected officials in Washington DC:’We are tired of this country taking advantage of our work, our presence, and our economic power, without giving us even the slightest guarantee of rights”, assured the activist. “After decades of living in the shadows, and now two years of surviving a pandemic without federal help, our community deserves a path to Citizenship Now!”
NICE incidentally is promoting a mass demonstration, in Times Square, creating art, banners, and giving classes on labor rights, which will conclude at 5: 00 in the afternoon.
The organization NYIC (New York Immigration Coalition) also showed its support for the day, and assured that if it is necessary a day without immigrants to send a more powerful message so that immigrants are recognized as essential, it must be done.
“Thanks to two years of the COVID pandemic-19, we don’t need to imagine what this country would be like without immigrants. Because without our communities, the food lines that kept our fellow Americans fed, the hospitals that served them, and the essential businesses that had to keep running would have come to a standstill,” said Rush Perez of NYIC. “Despite our sacrifices and contributions, immigrants continue to be excluded from any chance of a path to citizenship. We have waited too long for the promises that are made during each election cycle to come to fruition.”
Manuel Castro, Commissioner of the Office of Immigration Affairs of the Administration of Mayor Eric Adams, also gave his support to the “Day without Immigrants”, and stressed the importance that finally the federal government approves the legalization of millions of undocumented immigrants.
“I support 35% my immigrant community in the activities of the 14 February. It is their right and support that they continue demonstrating for immigration reform and dignified treatment of our people,” said the official.
And although the majority of workers agree in supporting the event, many say they do not will be added, due to the economic crisis they face after the pandemic.
“I would really like to stop going to work that day, but if I miss it, not only do I expose myself to being fired, but I will stop earning $100, which I need to complete for rent,” said Mexican eliodoro Mendieta, who works in a restaurant in Long Island City, Queens.
Omar Rodríguez, originally from Peru, and who earns his living in a deli in Astoria, was in the same line and despite showing his support for the initiative, openly said that he cannot “afford” to miss work and declared a little pessimistic about the effects that such a protest can achieve.
“For us, that we don’t have papers, failing one day is sometimes the difference between having food for the house or not, and although I support those who may be missing, I won’t do it, because for years I’ve also been on marches and that and I’ve seen that they don’t work not at all”, said the Peruvian, who has been 20 years in New York. “All of this remains in good intentions, which is not bad, but what has to be done is to put more pressure on the congressmen and on Biden.”
Colombian Alcira Amolinar, who works in a bakery, on the other hand, assured that she will take the day off to join the demonstration , but he believes that it is only the beginning of what must be done.
“I am not going to work that day, but as they say in my country, one swallow does not make a summer, So I think that the leaders of these marches should plan something big, with the support of the president himself, so that they really listen to us, to see if something is finally achieved,” said the Colombian.