Hispanic immigrants in Prince William County are launching a one-day work stoppage today to protest the county’s moves to toughen immigration enforcement and deny services to illegal residents.
The event is designed to show the economic force of legal and illegal immigrants who call the area home, supporters said. It caps a public campaign against a resolution, passed by the county board in July, to crack down on illegal immigrants.
“The work stoppage will demonstrate the economy is dependent on immigrant labor,” said Nancy Lyall, a coordinator for Mexicanos Sin Fronteras, a Hispanic immigrant organization.
More than 3,500 immigrants voted on how to react to the county’s resolution, and the push for a work stoppage was overwhelming, said John Steinbach, a coordinator of the affiliated Woodbridge Workers Committee.
“The question was not should we have a stoppage, but whether it should be one day or three,” Steinbach said.
Participants are trying to organize a caravan across the county and a gathering at the Prince William County headquarters to publicize the so-called “Day without Immigrants.”
Prince William County Chairman Corey Stewart said such protests have little impact and suggested he hoped the protest becomes more permanent.
“One day is a good start,” Stewart said. “I hope that it would continue for the rest of the year.”
Watch what you wish for, Steinbach said.
“If the supervisors proceed with their anti-immigrant ordinance, his wish will come true and it will result in economic catastrophe,” Steinbach said.
The immigrant group held a news conference about the work stoppage at a property on the corner of West and Liberty streets in Manassas where owner Gaudencio Fernandez posted a sign that said, “Prince William Co. stop your racism to Hispanics.”
The sign has been vandalized twice and remains a point of contention, Fernandez said.
The tension in Manassas was underscored during the news conference by one driver passing by in a red van.
“Go home!” he shouted at the group.
