ATLANTA — On Monday, immigrants in cities across the country and in the metro Atlanta area participated in ‘A Day Without Immigrants’ protest.
Immigrants and those who support them were instructed not to work, spend money or go to school.
“Showing folks in Georgia and around the country just how important immigrants are in every facet of society,” Kyle Gomez-Leineweber, Director of Policy and Advocacy at GALEO told Channel 2’s Audrey Washington.
GALEO is a Latin community development fund that works to increase leadership.
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“We’re seeing narratives that are simply false and targeting the immigrant community,” Gomez-Leineweber said.
Organizers said both the protest and the rally are in response to what they consider to be escalating attacks on immigrants across the country and in metro Atlanta.
During the last ‘Day Without Immigrants’ protest in February, Georgia GOP Chairman Josh McKoon addressed targeted ICE arrests and the subsequent protests that followed.
“I think there is going to be a short-term blip as people understand what is actually going on,” McKoon said. “This administration is removing dangerous threats to our community, criminal, illegal aliens. People who are in the country legally have nothing to be afraid of.”
But rally organizer Natalie Villasana told Washington what’s going on is a nationwide push back from immigrants to ultimately send a message.
“We’re saying an end to mass deportation, abolish ICE and full rights to all immigrants,” Villasana said.
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