McDonald’s locations across the United States are shutting down on a “Day Without Immigrants.”
On Thursday, organizers in cities across the country encouraged immigrants not to show up for work or patronize businesses, to show how crucial they are to the American economy.
According to reports on social media, some McDonald’s locations are feeling the impact and have been forced to close for the day.
“I was going to stop at McDonald’s for breakfast, but it’s closed,” one Facebook user from New Jersey wrote. “I hear it’s closed because this is the day immigrants are taking off as protest to Trump’s immigration law. I was annoyed at first until I realized why it was closed. Now I’m in full support of anything that goes against Trump and his ilk.”
https://twitter.com/regina_smith67/status/832238531993038848
"Just FYI. Today is immigrants day," another Facebook user from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma wrote. "In spirit of it the McDonald's on Douglas off the highway is closed. True story. Enjoy your day."
https://twitter.com/RogerDaJuiceman/status/832215312430927873
McDonald's in Green Hills only taking orders in drive-thru due to shortage of workers who are participating in #DayWithoutImmigrants pic.twitter.com/nbRIsws6Sv
— FoxNashville (@FOXNashville) February 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/SQLAmerica/status/832227638630608897
OMG the McDonald's is closed... One less day receiving a fucked up order. #whocares #DayWithoutImmigrants
— RedfishNinja (@Brenard0) February 16, 2017
It is unclear if franchisees purposefully closed their locations. However, in at least in one instance, it seems that workers simply did not show up.
My best friend work at McDonald's, & nobody showed to work. #nofoodforyall #Daywithoutimmigrants
— daj (@dajsaidso) February 16, 2017
The "Day Without Immigrants" protest comes in response to President Donald Trump's plans to build a wall along the US-Mexico border, as well as his promise to pass more aggressive deportation policies. The protest also addresses Trump's executive order banning immigrants from seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the US, a ban which was frozen but Trump has said he plans to rewrite.
By refusing to work, immigrants involved in the protest attempt to demonstrate how exactly the US would be impacted by increased deportations and new immigration policies.