About 60 businesses in Danbury decided not to open Thursday as part of a national demonstration "A Day Without Immigrants".
The protest, like others across the country, is intended to demonstrate the impact of immigrants on the economy.
“The message for today was for the immigrant community regardless of what country you come from not to spend, not to go out, not to open your business, not to send your kids to school,” said Rolando Castro, owner of C & C Delicatessen.
Castro's business was among those that closed for the day.
Giovanni Novo not only closed his two liquor businesses, he did not send his son to school today.
“The reason is because I’m an immigrant and your blood is immigrant, too. The message is we’re also supposed to be treated the same way and I don’t want that to happen to you in the future they look at you because you’re an immigrant,” said Novo.
Danbury High School student Rhoeert Lopes is originally from Brazil and he also did not attend school Thursday.
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“We lost a day of school, that’s bad. But we are going to gain like so much more. I feel like I am doing the right thing,” said Lopes.
But not everyone was on board with the idea.
“That’s education we’re talking about like, no, I don’t understand that,” said Tykera Brown of Danbury.
“Not to go to school that’s hurting their own children so that is wrong,” said Mike Daubert of Danbury.
NBC Connecticut reached out to Danbury Public Schools to see how many absences they’ve had on Thursday, but they have not gotten back after several attempts to reach them.
Connecticut ACLU's outreach and advocacy director, Melvin Medina said in a statement:
Documented or undocumented, every person in Connecticut has rights under our Constitution. Immigrants are vital members of Connecticut communities. Businesses participating in today's protest sent the right message of support and solidarity for new Americans.
