Escondido

Thousands of San Diegans take part in ‘A Day Without Immigrants' protest

Businesses closed, students stayed home, and many employees did not report to work on Monday

NBC Universal, Inc.

Many San Diegans stayed home from work and school Monday to support the nationwide Day Without Immigrants protest.

“If we had a normal day,” said Cisco Sanchez while walking around an abandoned Escondido Auto Super Center.
"you'd have mechanics out there. You've had lot a of porters washing the cars."

Sanchez is the sales manager at the dealership, which typically only closes on Christmas and Thanksgiving. No one showed up Monday. Sanchez was only there because NBC 7 asked for an interview.

“It's definitely going to hurt us," Sanchez said. "We're a small business — every single sale counts, but I think that we need to show them that it's not about the money and it's about them.”

Sanchez said most of the employees wanted to support A Day Without Immigrants. The dealership owners ended up supporting the employees by still paying them a full day’s wage.

“Those are our customers, those are our people, those are our coworkers, those are our employees,” Sanchez said. “I just felt like I had to be on the right side of history.”

“I'm extremely proud of my dad,” said Sanchez’s daughter Jayleen, who skipped classes at Mission Hills High School on Monday.

The senior said she also organized other students to remain at home on Monday.

“I want to be a voice for people who feel like they can't have one,” Jayleen said. “Their parents aren't U.S. citizens, and they have to worry about, ‘What if I go home and my parents aren't there?’ ”

Signs in storefronts around San Diego County warned customers, “In order to support our immigrants, we will close on Monday.” NBC 7 also received several messages saying more students than normal were missing from class. We contacted the San Diego Unified School District, Sweetwater Union High School District and the Chula Vista Elementary School District about Monday’s attendance. None responded that day.

At the same time, a visual survey of areas in Chula Vista, National City, and Escondido revealed most businesses remained open. One owner declined an interview but told NBC 7 it couldn’t afford to close.

“It wasn't easy," said Sanchez of the Escondido Auto Super Center. "It wasn't an easy decision at all."

It also wasn’t popular. The Sanchezes both said there were many negative comments on their social media posts.

“Some longtime customers, they got offended,” the elder Sanchez said. “And it hurts, you know, to see them take that reaction.”

“I'm pretty used to it," Jayleen said. "I kind of just take it as: I learn and grow. Beauty of America: You have your right to your own opinion, your own voice.”

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