On Thursday, Feb. 16, you may have noticed that your favorite Mexican – or minority owned – restaurant(s) in Burien were closed, making it tough to get your favorite authentic taco or burrito. That’s because local restaurant owners turned off their lights and shuttered their doors in solidarity with Thursday’s national “Day Without Immigrants” protest against the Trump administration’s policies toward them. Of Burien’s 50,467 residents, 36.5 percent are minorities, with nearly 21 percent identifying as Hispanic or Latino. And just over 32 percent of all businesses in Burien – 1,193 – are minority-owned, according to the US Census Bureau. Here are photos showing just a few of the ones that were closed in Burien Thursday (click images to see larger versions/slideshow): Taqueria El Rinconsito on Ambaum & SW 151st Street: Taqueria La Estacion (14820 Ambaum Blvd SW): Burger Broiler (119 SW 148th Street; same owners as El Rinconsito): Tienda La Victoria (14900 Ambaum Blvd SW): The protest called for immigrants – whether naturalized citizens or undocumented – to stay home from work or school, close businesses and refrain from shopping. While there was no known national group behind the protest, it was heavily shared on social media.]]>

Since 2007, The B-Town Blog is Burien’s multiple award-winning hyperlocal news/events website dedicated to independent journalism.

12 replies on “Restaurants in Burien go dark in solidarity with 'Day Without Immigrants'”

  1. WOW! Way to go El Rinconsito and Burger Broiler. Two of my favorites in town. La Estacion is also a keeper.
    It is important to acknowledge that some of the most successful businesses which we enjoy here in Burien have been founded by,immigrants. They produce revenue for the city, the state and the federal government. Most importantly they provide employment to many workers who then spend the vast majority of those paychecks right here in our community continuing to circulate through this local economy.
    Immigrants Make America Great, not xenophobia and divisiveness.

  2. That makes a lot of sense, Protest a nations laws by continuing to throw temper tantrums. I love how our answer is to protest and boycott any one we do not agree with.
    Not to mention after seeing the restaurants that were closed now I know why I never even noticed it was happening.

    1. Sean-
      Yes, actually this does make a lot of sense.This is called DEMOCRACY. Protests, boycotts, strikes and other forms of civil disobedience are nothing new and are essential elements of American (or any)democracy. They are not “temper tantrums”. They are basic tenents which our founding fathers codified and protected in the first amendment of the constitution. freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right of people to peacefully assemble and to petition the Government for redress of grievances are all guaranteed in order to give ALL the people a voice. Ask the Tea Party about these rights.
      As Americans, when we disagree, this is what we do.
      You may wish to familiarize yourself with these principals which are sure to remain in the news as we, the people, navigate the uncharted waters of an administration, devoid of the constraints of truthfulness, and intent on a continual assault on our basic American ideals and freedoms.

    2. “No taxation without representation! Throw that tea in the harbor! No tea-no tax! Make a statem–Oh.”
      So much for no love for protests and boycotts. Long live America and the way it was founded.
      Too bad the best food in Burien is made by people who aren’t white.

  3. This may come as a surprise to some of the 63.5% majority of citizens of Burien, but unless you are 100% Native American, someone in your ancestry was an immigrant.
    I am very proud of our immigrants, who have come here sometimes not knowing how to speak English and established homes, families and businesses. I’m not sure that I would have been able to do so. I will continue to support these businesses and any others owned and run by immigrants. Thanks to all of you!

      1. Oh, really?!? How are they the problem? Are they taking jobs from you: apple or asparagus pickers, stoop labor in the fields, landscapers, senior home workers – jobs you would never do, and wouldn’t be hired for anyway. And just how did your grandparents get into this country legally? If you’re white and of European extract, then they probably passed a lice test and survived the trip on a steamer. Knock off your hatred of poor brown people…you’re no better.

      2. Exactly. You can’t open a business as an illegal immigrant, so another example of the widespread hysteria.

      3. Sean-
        Your statement, though pithy, is nothing but a thin cover for current anti-immigrant sentiments, which are not solely directed at illegal immigrants. I am not buying your excuse.
        I challenge you and all who want to excuse xenophobia and racism in such a “surface’ way, to be truthful with yourselves about what you think or feel when you are served by an immigrant worker. Or see an immigrant in public, or hear something other than English being spoken. Do you assume that that individual is here as a “legal” immigrant? or do you assume that they are “illegal”?
        You have no way of knowing what their status is. Do you judge them just because they are not white English-speaking people?
        Vilifying undocumented immigrants, vilifies all immigrants by creating an atmosphere of suspicion and assumptions about your neighbors.
        Such vilification is not good for our community or America in general.

  4. Quote: “…protest against the Trump administration’s policies toward them.”
    Wow, is that a misnomer, and an inaccurate simplification. Does anyone really believe that we don’t have a broken immigration system?
    The whole point was to take a breather, and assess the ‘system’, just like Obama did. Trump is not ‘against immigrants’. His wife is one. Neither are many against legal immigrants, whether making tacos or writing software. The problem is the illegal alien, who has broken the law, no matter where.
    What say you, so-called non-hater?

  5. What I’m getting from some of the comments here: “if you disagree with my position on immigration, you’re a racist immigrant hater.”
    Well. This type of response is unfortunate as it prevents an honest debate of this issue because it demonizes others with different opinions. It is also an ad hominem attack.
    The workers are, of course, free to demonstrate if they want. For the record, I believe that most of the illegals are here to work hard and save money to send home, and/or seek a better life than they had back home. In many cases they are doing the job that those born here are unwilling to do – such as hotel housekeeping, restaurant job, certain construction jobs, etc.
    That said, it seems to me a no brainer that it: you are here illegally ***and*** commit a serious crime (such as DWI, domestic violence, rape, gang activity, to name a few) then you ought to be deported. For the others just living their lives like the rest of us, there ought to be a path to citizenship (or documentation).

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