At Immigrant Rally, Divided They Stand

Call for Work Boycott Breeds Disagreement

The problem is, a guy has to make a living. And if you happen to be a Salvadoran with a green card; with a mortgage, a wife and three kids in Lanham; and two janitorial jobs in D.C. that keep you busy 14 hours a day, you might not have the leverage with the boss to boycott work in a demonstration of how important immigrants are to the U.S. economy.

And so there yesterday in sun-dappled Meridian Hill Park was Milton Bonilla, 38, leaning against a tree in his white work uniform listening to the speakers rage against certain lawmakers and celebrate the People United. He was a typical un-boycotter. He had worked hard for the word "Supervisor" stitched on his breast, and he could not afford to give it up.

He was headed to work for the night shift at 5:30 p.m. But he still felt urgently drawn to the demonstration, which was called "a day without immigrants."

"It's important to show support for the people without documents," Bonilla said. "We're here because we want better treatment in this country. We came to work. We are not criminals."

For some the notion summoned visions of Bethesda matrons cutting their own grass and taking care of their own kids; K Street lawyers and lobbyists pushing mops and taking out the trash at their offices; bureaucrats having to serve themselves Navy bean soup, meatloaf, blackened sole and soggy broccoli in the cafeteria line -- that would teach them a lesson, was the idea.

But the work boycott sent an odd, ambiguous message, others thought. When immigrants list the personal attributes they are proudest of, "hardworking" is at or near the top of every list. And now they were going to show their value to society by not working?

Most members of the main immigrant organizing coalition in the Washington area were against the boycott. So were some of the local movement's most important motivators -- radio disc jockeys. They said now was not the time to get too radical, while there is still a chance that the Senate will produce an immigration bill that would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Still, other local organizers urged the boycott, saying now was the time to flex some muscle.

Both factions picked Meridian Hill for an afternoon rally, and more than 1,000 boycotters and un-boycotters assembled in the leafy splendor of perfect park weather.

You could spot differences in the two crowds. The un-boycotters were more likely to have on work uniforms or work boots with fresh dust. They came and left at odd times, going to punch in, or just punching out, in the middle of chants that sounded better in Spanish ("Bush, listen, we are committed to the struggle!") or a song in English ("Amazing Grace").

The boycotters were more likely to be young, holding disposable jobs they might easily replace in a fast-food nation. Also more likely to be wearing the red and black of revolution.

Eber Garcia, 25, said his boss in a roofing company told him if he didn't show up for work yesterday, he would think about firing him. Garcia said he could live with that.