Immigrants Rights Groups in Philadelphia and Kansas City unite for strike, and week of action: ‘Que se haga notar nuestra ausencia’
On Super Bowl Sunday, leaders with immigrant rights and advocacy groups in both Philadelphia and Kansas City announced a united effort for immigrant-owned businesses to close up shop. After that, they urge residents to shop at local, immigrant-owned businesses and avoid corporate big box stores.
By Vicky Díaz-Camacho. February 9, 2025.
Demonstrators against immigration detention centers rally in front of Independence Hall in November. The Philadelphia Immigrant Coalition (PIC) has coordinated with the Advocates for Immigrants Rights and Reconciliation (AIRR) out of Kansas City to launch a Super Bowl Without Immigrants protest. Photo: Vicky Diaz-Camacho | Inti Media.
On Super Bowl Sunday, roughly 25 business owners in Philadelphia united with Kansas City immigrant rights advocates for A Super Bowl Without Immigrants.
This strike mirrors the “Day Without Immigrants” on Feb. 3, which called on local immigrant-owned businesses and community members to stand together and cease operations, skip work and school. However, this effort continues throughout the week, ending Feb. 13. Organizers call on immigrants and supporters to shop at local, immigrant-owned businesses and boycott large corporations.
"While the people who are against us, along with those anti-immigrant politicians, are watching the Super Bowl in front of their screens or at the stadiums, our people are cooking, making guacamole, making tacos, making pizzas, working in bars, washing glasses, serving drinks," said Juan Carlos Romero, owner of Philly Tacos. "Let our absence truly be felt."
The effort is in response to the sharp increase in immigration enforcement — disproportionately affecting Latino workers — and protests the hardline immigration policies sweeping the nation. Increased ICE surveillance and information sharing between law enforcement resulted in a 30% increase victimization of Latinos, a study by the Bureau of Economic Research found.
The action is also taking place in Kansas City, home to the Kansas City Chiefs, in an effort to unite the opposing cities. A representative with Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation (AIRR) said unity and organizing is one step to raising awareness.
Photo: Vicky Diaz-Camacho | Inti Media.
“Sports are a very big core of American culture, immigrants are as well,” AIRR’s representative said.”It is about making people conscious, especially the immigrant community, that we have a buying power and that we need to become aware and become educated of how to use that buying power.”
She mentioned a slew of proposed anti-immigrant laws, also considered “bounty hunter laws,” in Missouri that would incentivize people to report suspected undocumented immigrants with a $1,000 stipend. A Pennsylvania bill presented by Republican U.S. Rep Ryan Mackenzie, such as “Stop Illegal Immigration in Pennsylvania,” would make it a criminal offense to encourage undocumented families to move to the state.
Bills like these have increased since early January, but they are not new.
"This is not just about this administration. This has been going on for a long time—I think it has been decades," Romero said. "The fight must come from the community."
AIRR’s spokesperson agreed, saying the community ought to take space and lead the charge.
“It is up to the immigrant community to be on the front lines,” she added.
The second strike, on one of the most popular days in the U.S., shows what life without immigrant people and businesses looks like. Studies show that the Super Bowl event is a “spending boon.”
In the Philadelphia-New Jersey-Delaware and Maryland regions the estimated economic boost tallies upward to $347 million.
Romero recognized that some business owners were hesitant to close shops, while others sought to express their collective power. An AIRR representative said the demonstrations are a way for immigrants to take back their power.
“Be aware that everyone, no matter who you are, no matter your status, you are powerful and there's power within you and the system makes us feel that we don't have power as immigrants, but we want to spread the message that we all do,” she said.
A 2024 Congressional Office Budget report found that increased immigration not only boosts federal revenues but also decreases debt deficits. For instance, COB estimates that immigration surges in the last few years will have a lasting impact for the next decade, tallying $1.2 trillion in federal revenues.
An excerpt of the COB report stated: “Research has generally found that increases in immigration raise state and local governments’ costs more than their revenues.”
In Philadelphia, foreign-born residents’ contributions through income taxes are bolstering public services and paying pensions, according to Pew Trust. Since the first waves of migrants settled in the region, nearly 40% of immigrants were entrepreneurs. Pew’s data show the top industries where immigrants were employed were health care, transportation, retail, construction, food and educational services.
Other studies underscore the benefits of policies that prioritize supporting immigrant-owned businesses and entrepreneurship. However, Romero said this protest goes beyond economic impact.
"It's not just about not going to work or not buying things; we also have some demands," he said.
The groups want Mayor Cherelle Parker to continue the current executive order regarding ICE detainers; that City Council increase funding for immigrant-focused programs like the Philadelphia Immigrant Family Unity Project (PAIFUP) and funding to the School District of Philadelphia to enhance programs and staffing for immigrant students; and that the school district retrains school staff on the district’s sanctuary policy, as well as best practices related to language access and trauma-informed teaching, according to a PIC press release.
The effort takes place from Feb. 9 through Feb. 13. Immigrant residents and allies are encouraged to shop local.
“Political power is something that we want people to understand that it doesn't start or stop at protesting. It doesn't start or stop at a strike or a boycott. Those are strategies. This is a long-time fight,” the AIRR representative said.
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