WOODLAND: Immigrants flex political muscle

Restaurants closed; students stay home
By MONICA KRAUTH and REBECCA ADLER/Democrat staff writers
Daily Democrat
In heavily Latino Woodland the normally bustling taqueria and Mexican food areas were quiet during the lunch hour Monday as workers took the day off in support of the "Day Without Immigrants," a nationwide boycott that succeeded in slowing or shutting many farms, factories, markets and restaurants.

Following their parents' lead, many students also missed school in Woodland as well, with absenteeism from more than 30 percent of the student population, according to representatives from the superintendent's office.

Administrators could not be sure of the cause of the increase in absences, but with an estimated 38 percent of the student population being Latino, it has been attributed to the protests going on throughout the state.

Carol Connely, secretary to the superintendent, said the district did not see many faculty or staff missing work.

But block after block of restaurants in Woodland with closed signs in the windows - some with posters in their windows supporting the march and protests being staged in Sacramento - showed there were many willing to miss work to make their opinions visible to lawmakers.

Not even a single taco lunch truck was visible when driving through town.

Woodland resident Pancho Marroquin, who helps a friend with landscaping, didn't work Monday because it was his day off. But, Marroquin said, if he had been scheduled, he wouldn't have gone anyway. "I support my people. We do a lot of work. We've got to unite," he said.

Marroquin saw truck loads of friends get picked up throughout town early in the morning. They were on their way to Sacramento, he said.

"I saw kids with signs and musical instruments (for the protest)," Marroquin noted.

Although many restaurants specializing in Mexican food were closed, Marroquin said he was surprised to see a few still doing business.

Mexico Meat Market, at 410 Walnut St., remained open throughout the day, but Mike Ahmad, who was working the store during the afternoon, noted that the store is not Latino-owned.

And because they were one of the few stores open in town, Ahmad said the store had more business than usual.

"I see new customers today," he said.

Ahmad said he supports the pro-immigration demonstrations being held throughout the country.

"They deserve citizenship," he said.

Besides taquerias and Mexican food restaurants that were closed throughout town, the stores in Olive Tree Plaza on East Street, the Discoteca El Grullo and the carnicerias were also shut.

Posted on the window at Tacos El Jalisciense was a hot-pink poster that asked, in Spanish, to boycott WAL-MART, Food-4-Less, Target and gas stations. It also said, "We are going to oppose proposition HR4437." HR4437 is the bill under consideration by the Congressional House of Representatives that would deal harshly with illegal immigrants.

- Monica Krauth can be reached at 406-6231 or at mkrauth [at] dailydemocrat.com. Rebecca Adler can be reached at 406-6232 or radler [at] dailydemocrat.com.