‘Day Without an Immigrant’ boycott brings out hundreds to Gilroy
streets
Gilroy – More than 600 demonstrators marched down the streets of Gilroy Monday morning, joining the hundreds of thousands nationwide boycotting work to show their economic strength. The mass waved American flags and chanted “Si se puede” (Yes we can) as they made their way to City Hall.
“It’s one day – it’s our future,” said Gustavo Cruz, who skipped work to participate. “Even if I get fired – it’s our future.”
The crowd dressed predominantly in white, carrying flags and homemade signs, and holding hoes as a symbol of the labor many perform in the fields. Mothers pushed infants in strollers and fathers walked with children perched on their shoulders.
“A lot of people are working hard every single day. Working hard. Every single day,” said Isidro Garcia, who waved a giant American flag throughout the march. He and 15 other welders informed their employer they weren’t coming in Monday.
“‘We are trying to get the government to hear us,” he said. “We’re tying to help the 11 million that have no rights. We need to bring opportunity for people.”
During the “Day Without an Immigrant,” protesters were urged to boycott work and school and refrain from spending money to demonstrate the impact they have on the U.S. economy. Preliminary reports from The California Association of Employers indicated that 97 percent of businesses in a statewide survey reported they do not believe the boycotts put a financial strain on their business.
Locally, however, many Hispanic-owned businesses were closed as management posted signs in the windows citing Mexican Labor Day as the reason. Some farm officials gave their employees the option of taking the day off.
“We did give all of our employees the option of coming or not coming to work, given that we do support the cause,” said Uesugi Farms owner Pete Aiello.
Typically they do not give the holiday off. However, in light of the scheduled protests, farm officials offered workers the day off.
“I’ll bet some of our guys were out there (at the protests),” he said, estimating 90 and 95 percent of laborers took the day off.
Gilroy Unified School District officials did not have attendance figures as of press time, but estimated that hundreds of students were absent from Gilroy High School and many more from the elementary schools.
The demonstration was organized by a handful of St. Mary Catholic Parish members and Gavilan College students. Protesters gathered at 9am in the DMart parking lot to hear Father Francisco Miramontes speak.
Additional police units showed up to provide escorts and direct traffic while demonstrators marched down 10th and Rosanna streets.
“They didn’t have a parade permit, but when a crowd of this size shows up, we have to take some action,” GPD Sgt. John Sheedy said.
St. Mary’s Father Miramontes led protesters in peaceful demonstration down 10th Street around 10:20am.
Most demonstrators carried plastic bags and picked up litter along the city streets as they walked to show the positive impact they have on California.
As marchers turned onto Rosanna Street heading towards City Hall they began chanting “USA, USA.” Women pushing strollers on sidewalks turned around to join the march. Men and women waved from doorsteps in support. About 15 men carried a banner containing the signatures of more than 6,000 immigrant supporters in South County. Others carried signs reading “The men put the borders. We are not criminals, just born on the other side of the line,” and “We just want to work,” and “We’re illegal, not criminals.”
For many of the individuals marching Monday, it was an opportunity to show support for their loved ones who are illegal immigrants and their disdain for an immigration reform bill that would build hundreds of miles of fences across the U.S. borders, regulate the entry of foreign workers, and create a new set of regulations for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants currently living in the U.S. Some provisions working their way through the Senate Committee, such as those making it illegal to assist an illegal immigrant, have already been stricken. The Senate will likely begin debating the legislation again this week after leaving Capitol Hill for Easter break in a gridlock.
“We have to work together because the problem is the same for us all,” said organizer Felipe Rodriguez. “For me, it doesn’t matter, but for my brother – he doesn’t have his papers. He has two children. If my brother goes to Mexico – what happens to them?”
For Oswaldo Munoz, he rallied for his friends who were too afraid to.
“A lot of my friends didn’t come because they thought immigration would come (to take them away),” he said. “That’s why I’m in the front. I have my ID, my license.”
Father Miramontes energized the crowd at City Hall, yelling “United we stand, united we fall.”
The crowd observed a minute of silence for those who have family across the border, and those who died trying to come to the U.S.
“All of them are workers, not terrorists. They are not people who came to destroy this country, but to build a new life,” Miramontes said. “We march to support these values. We need to defend the human rights of everyone.”
After the protest in Gilroy, dozens met back at DMart to drive to larger protests in San Jose.
Gavilan student Daniel Naranjo came to support his parents who were born in Mexico.
“America is the greatest country in the world because of immigrants,” he wrote on a sign he gave protesters to take with them to San Jose. “I would go, but I have a class,” he said. “That’s why I came here, so somebody else can carry this.”
While Naranjo opposes the legislation, he doesn’t know how to reform illegal immigration.
“As long as there is poverty around the world people are going to come,” he said. “As long as there is the dream – people will run, jump, swim here. That’s why this country is great – because people die trying to come here.”
