[JURIST] Hundreds of thousands of US immigrants boycotted work and participated in protests across the country Monday as part of the "Day Without Immigrants" [advocacy website], a nationwide, day-long effort to influence the ongoing immigration reform [JURIST news archive] debate in Congress. Those boycotting work mostly consisted of Hispanic immigrants, both legal and illegal, and succeeded in shutting down numerous businesses, markets, farms and other establishments across the country. An estimated 300,000 marched [Chicago Tribune report] through the business district of Chicago, while numerous other rallies took place in other cities.

The nationwide boycott [Immigration Solidarity news release] was organized to protest proposals that would criminalize illegal immigration and increase border patrols and fencing along the US-Mexico border. Although the US House has approved a border-security bill [JURIST report], the Senate is stalled [JURIST report] on the issue. AP has more.