ROANOKE, Va. – Virginians pushing for immigrant rights spent their Valentine’s Day outside of the White House demanding immigration reform.
Thousands of immigrant families joined the nationwide movement called “Un Día Sin Inmigrantes,” which means “A Day Without Immigrants.”
Some families traveled to Washington D.C. to demand change but others chose to not go to work, send their children to school or purchase anything on Monday.
Edgar Lara, the executive director of Sin Barreras, said it’s a way to show how immigrants play a vital role in the community and the American economy.
“We want the public to recognize us to gain support because these people exist, and they live in fear and are vulnerable. And it’s just not right.”
Sin Barreras means without barriers in Spanish and it’s an organization in Charlottesville that serves the Latino immigrant community.
The call for reform comes as about 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the United States.
But according to the most recent report from Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, undocumented immigrants pay more than $11 billion in state and local taxes.