Businesses Closing Nationwide for Immigration Rally

The Immigrant Solidarity Network says they are calling for no work, no school, no sales, and no buying nationwide on May 1st.

Sign from a recent rally on the Oregon capitol steps Photo By: Tim King

(SALEM) - Businesses throughout the nation will close doors and hang up the closed sign Monday in an effort to show support for immigrants and immigration supporters who will rally and march Monday at the Oregon State Capitol and other American capitol cities.

The Immigrant Solidarity Network says they are calling for no work, no school, no sales, and no buying nationwide, as they encourage smaller organizations to have rallies around symbols of economic trade in front of places like stock exchanges and corporations that the group considers anti-immigration.

Still adjusting to the notion of the National Anthem being rewritten to reflect the position of immigrants, many Americans say they do not outwardly support the rally, particularly when it leads to kids cutting school.

Others point to the intense lesson in personal politics that the time period is bringing many students. In the capitol city of a state known for being politically active, perhaps nobody should be overly surprised that those whose family's could be facing deportation and forced family separation should take a strong interest.

The so-called Great American Boycott coincides with Labor Day in Mexico. It is also May Day, a traditional socialist celebration for working people.

Activists say they are protesting federal legislation that would make it a felony to be an undocumented immigrant and criminalize those who assist them.

Participants in the May 1st rally and events will wear white T-Shirts and white armbands; many of the T-shirts will feature the group's political demands.

"We will settle for nothing less than full amnesty and dignity for the millions of undocumented workers presently in the U.S. We believe that increased enforcement is a step in the wrong direction and will only serve to facilitate more tragedies along the Mexican-U.S. border in terms of deaths and family separation."

Many people in the mid-valley say they are confused by the way the issue was initially brought into the media spotlight. People attending a recent similar rally on the Oregon capitol steps say the anti-immigration move is just a smokescreen to direct attention away from a highly criticized war and a presidential administration facing increasing scrutiny and decreasing popularity.

Still, others like State Representative Jeff Kropf say illegal immigration presents many problems for American society. When he's not on the job here in Oregon, Kropf flies the U.S./Mexican border in his own personal airplane looking for illegal migrants.

Interestingly, the Immigrant Solidarity Network recently reported that The Los Angeles City Council issued an official and harsh rebuke to "inland and border anti-migrant vigilantes," the Council denouncing and prohibiting the vigilante actions of individuals against immigrants along the border and within urban communities."

Police involved in the planning for Monday`s rally and march say the participants are all very anxious to see the event take place without any problems. During the last rally, many steps were taken to ensure the safety of all involved.