Following in the footsteps of protesters who took to the streets of Milwaukee to voice their opposition to President Donald Trump’s immigration policy on Monday, thousands of students, local business owners, and community leaders from across the country participated in “Day Without Immigrants” rallies and protests Thursday. 

Read more: US Gets Ready for 'Day Without Immigrants' Rallies and Strikes

The “Day Without Immigrants” was meant to showcase the economic contributions immigrants have made to the United States. Many shop owners, immigrant and otherwise, closed their doors in a showing of solidarity with the legal and undocumented immigrants who work for them. 

More than 10% of restaurant industry employees are immigrants, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, though it is unclear what proportion of them are undocumented. 

World-famous restaurateurs including José Andrés, owner of five popular Washington D.C. restaurants, and Rick Bayless, who runs four restaurants in the Chicago area, shut down all of their restaurants in solidarity. 

Read more: 6 Top Chefs Making A Difference to End Hunger

Along with Andrés and Bayless, restaurant owners in at least 10 metropolitan areas — including Minneapolis, Austin, and Pittsburgh — shuttered their shops and put signs on their doors, highlighting the contributions immigrants make to their restaurants and to their communities. 

Here are some of our favorite signs and social media posts that drove home the message that the United States was built on the backs of immigrants: 

1-4. Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, Xoco, Fonda Frontera; Chicago, IL 

5. Chop't; Washington, D.C.

6. El Burrito Mercado; Minneapolis, MN

7. World Street Kitchen; Minneapolis, MN

8-10. Busboys & Poets; Washington, D.C.

11. Home Slice Pizza; Austin, TX

12. Hola Arepa; Minneapolis, MN 

13. Eately; Boston, MA 

14. Pho 102; Chantilly, VA

15. Sweetgreen; Washington, D.C.

16. Las Palmas; Pittsburgh, PA 

17. Lighthouse Tavern; Waretown, NJ 

18. Pio Bagel 8 Inc.; Brooklyn, NY 

19. Mi Tierra; Hadley, MA

20. Erbaluce; Boston, MA

21. Dona Maria; Las Vegas, NV

22. Zavino; Philadelphia, PA

23. Cafe Hornitos; Austin, TX

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Demand Equity

Here Are 23 Restaurants That Shut Their Doors For the ‘Day Without Immigrants’

By Phineas Rueckert