The Atlantic

The Fallout From 'A Day Without Immigrants'

Around 100 workers were reportedly fired for participating in last week’s strike. Whether that’s legal remains to be seen.
Source: Aaron Bernstein / Reuters

On February 16, immigrants across the U.S. stayed away from work as part of the protest “A Day Without Immigrants.” Employees and employers gave up wages and profits in protest of the immigration policies of the Trump administration, hoping to show American consumers what an economy without immigrant labor would mean for the services and goods many rely on. A handful of restaurants printed messages of solidarity on customer receipts:

Some employers, including restaurant and business owners in at least 10 major cities, for their workers who joined the walkout. But others were less sympathetic. that a number of participants in the protests were fired in the fallout of “A Day Without Immigrants.” Bricklayers in Commerce City, Colorado, boat manufacturing workers in Lexington, South Carolina, and employees of a the protest. Twelve employees at the I Don’t Care Bar and Grill in Catoosa, Oklahoma via text message, with the restaurant’s owner defending the firings as company policy for no-shows. (A to those fired, citing the demand for experienced restaurant workers.)

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