Thousands of demonstrators gathered in downtown Denver on May 1 as part of a national protest, dubbed “A Day without Immigrants”, to object proposed restrictions on immigration being considered in Congress.

Among those attending were a couple dozen University of Denver students, who participated in the boycott by skipping class in order to show their support for the cause and represent the DU community.

Sophomore Julio Alas, whose parents emigrated to the United States from El Salvador, stressed the significance of his involvement in the protest.

“As students, it is important to represent the fact that we are in school, that we are making something of ourselves,” said Alas.

“America was built on immigrants, on immigration. People are forgetting their own roots,” he added.

The approximately 50,000 people, as estimated by the Denver Police Department, who congregated downtown walked for more than 30 minutes from Viking Park to Capitol Hill, in order to draw attention to proposed restrictions on immigration rights.

The protest included a sweeping boycott of purchasing goods and of work or school to demonstrate the significant role immigrants play in the U.S. economy.

“As the son of an immigrant, I know what these people go through. I have seen it. People have misconceptions of immigrants, and I want to disprove these misconceptions,” said Alas.

Among these misconceptions he cited is the notion that individuals and families who emigrate to the United States don’t contribute to the national society or economy and take jobs away from American workers.

“Immigrants take the jobs that people don’t want,” said Alas, “and they work for less than minimum wage, which is more than what they would get in their own countries.”

Mayra Garcia, a DU sophomore who also attended the participation, agreed with Alas.

“My parents work hard, too, for a better life for their children. We are not being treated as humans,” she said. “We need to live. We need a way of life.”

Garcia emphasized that many advocates for harsher restrictions on immigration don’t understand the difficulties already in place.

“People ask, why don’t these [illegal immigrants] just come over legally. It took my mom 14 years to emigrate here. It’s not easy to come over legally.”

Another DU student, Manuel Ceballos, emphasized the importance of awareness of these issues within the DU community.

“Many [of the Hispanic students at DU] don’t want to speak out about immigration because they feel as if others are quick to judge their stance. It becomes one against everyone, and it makes you feel excluded,” he said.

The demonstration in spite of its size, was an entirely peaceful event. Participants wore white T-shirts to symbolize their dedication to peace.

“I was in awe to see so many people united for a cause,” said Garcia. “There were kids, adults and elderly, all together in passive resistance.”