Day Without Immigrants: More than a hundred US employees sacked for taking part in protest

The Day Without Immigrants protest shut down businesses across the US last week, but it didn’t come without consequences for employees who decided to take part in the demonstrations

More than a hundred workers across the US were reportedly fired for taking place in the “Day Without Immigrants” protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

The demonstrations, for which support was largely drummed up online, urged foreign-born workers to refuse to participate in the US economy for a day.

Nearly 20 employee at Bradley Coatings, a commercial painting company in Tennessee, told supervisors on Wednesday that they would not be coming into work the following day, instead making up the time on Sunday.

However, they were told on Thursday that they had lost their jobs, NBC4 reported.

Robert Peal, the company’s attorney, told NBC4: “Regretfully, and consistent with its prior communication to all its employees, BCI had no choice but to terminate these individuals. The reason these employees missed work — to engage in peaceful demonstrations — had nothing to do with BCI's decision to terminate them."

The story was not a one-off. Local news outlets across the whole country reported that employees returned to work only to find out they had been fired from their positions.

In South Carolina, 21 members of staff at a boat manufacturing company were reportedly fired for taking part. Thirty masonry workers lost their jobs in Denver as well as 12 workers at the I Don’t Care Bar and Grill, an Oklahoma restaurant.

The same week, the restaurant had posted on Facebook seeking employees for its open positions.

Some people have taken to Twitter to call on customers to boycott the businesses that fired workers after the protest.

Diane Wong, based in Boston tweeted: “Remember this name. You won’t want to eat here. I Don’t Care Bar and Grill in Catoosa, Oklahoma.”

J.C.Zarcus said: “#BradleyCoatings just fired 18 workers for participated in #ADayWithoutImmigrants, stop buying this products.”

Mr Trump has vowed to crack down on illegal immigration and signed an executive order, which was put on hold by federal courts, restricting entry from seven Muslim-majority countries.

The action last week was part of a growing movement of strikes and boycotts intended to demonstrate displeasure with Mr Trump administration and its policies.

In January, mass rallies focused on women's rights, drew millions of people around the globe only days after the President was sworn in.