Local Businesses Close For A Day, Join Nationwide 'Day Without Immigrants' Protest

Several South Fork businesses owned by or that employ immigrants closed for the day last Thursday, February 16, joining in the nationwide “Day Without Immigrants” protest that also included a march in Hampton Bays that attracted an estimated 300 people.

The purpose of the daylong protest was to show how important immigrants are to the U.S. economy and the country’s way of life. Across the country last Thursday, immigrants didn’t show up for work, didn’t send their children to school, and didn’t purchase anything from stores.

Isabel Sepulveda, owner of Isa Consignment on East Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays, closed up shop as part of the protest.

“I was going to close no matter what,” said Ms. Sepulveda, a Southampton resident who is originally from Chile. “I’m an immigrant. Even if I am a citizen now, I’m still an immigrant. I support people who aren’t citizens yet.

“The way I see it, this country was formed with immigrants,” she continued. “Who was here before? It was the Native Americans. Everyone else [are] immigrants. We all came from different places.”

Juan Pablo Medina, owner of Mitad Del Mundo Express on North Main Street in East Hampton, followed suit and closed his shop for the day to support the nationwide protest. “We closed down that day for the cause and told employees we weren’t going to be open,” he said.

Ms. Sepulveda pointed out that while she was marching in Hampton Bays last Thursday, she also observed several other hamlet business owners who most likely closed their doors to participate in the show of protest. The employees of those shops were among the hundreds of people who marched along the sidewalk on Montauk Highway that afternoon, with many waving handmade signs.

The signs expressed the fear that some immigrants have about the new national immigration policies being rolled out under President Donald Trump and worries about potential U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids targeting undocumented immigrants. One man held a sign reading, “No More Deportations” while another down the road held a sign that stating, “I Am America.”

Luis Jarro, one of the owners of Latin Express in East Hampton, explained on Monday that he received some backlash for not closing his convenience store on Park Place in East Hampton Village last Thursday. “Six or seven people for the protest came to my store, banging on the windows, yelling at my front desk receptionist and the people waiting at the front,” Mr. Jarro recalled. “They were yelling at us to close the store that day. We support our community, but we also have good relations with the people who come in here for our service.”

Others in the community, including the employees of businesses that remained open on February 16, did not come to work that day as a form of protest. Mario DeRosas of Southampton, a landscaper, was one of those individuals. Instead of reporting to work, Mr. DeRosas said he and his wife, Karla Ayala, took part in the march that started near the Friendly’s in Hampton Bays and ended about a half mile east at the Church of St. Rosalie.

“I’m here because I think everyone deserves to be here,” said Ms. Ayala as she marched last week. “This land was made by immigrants, and, being a daughter of immigrants, it’s sad to see how they are treated. Not everyone gets the privilege to be born here. And I just stand with them, because I know what it’s like to be from a family with immigrants.”

The couple noted that many of their friends protested by not going to work and by refraining from shopping, with Mr. DeRosas noting that the latter proved to be difficult. “It was hard not to buy anything,” he said.

The march ended with a vigil inside St. Rosalie’s church.

“People are asking, ‘When will you do this again?’” said Dulce Rojas of Centereach, who helped organize the march with the nonprofit organization SEPA Mujer, based in Islandia. “People are feeling empowered.”

Ms. Rojas explained that her organization has two local chapters, one in Riverside and another in Hampton Bays, and that last week’s march was planned because people in those communities asked for one. To ensure the event went smoothly, Ms. Rojas reached out to Southampton Town Police ahead of time to make sure they were aware of what the organization was planning. “They were friendly,” she said of the local authorities.

Police kept close tabs on events last week, including when marchers were faced with a small counter-protest about halfway through their walk. A handful of people stood on the opposite side of the street holding signs, with one reading “When They Jumped The Fence They Broke The Law.”

The signs inspired a chant from the marchers: “We Are American!”

Several of those in attendance said they marched because they are tired of living in fear of being discriminated against—and, more recently, worries that ICE agents are looking to deport either them or their friends and family members. So far, there have been no reported incidents of ICE agents conducting enforcment on the South Fork, beyond searches for undocumented people facing criminal charges, which have been routine in recent years.

“We’re a strong community here on the East End,” said Paola Zuniga of Flanders, who was among the people to contact SEPA Mujer to request the march. “We’re not afraid.”

Stephanie Martinez, who graduated from the Hampton Bays High School in 2008, added that most of those who participated in the march are in the country because they are looking to live “the American dream.”

“We don’t come here to hurt anyone,” Ms. Martinez said. “We come here to live a better life than we did before.”