Immigrants across the US are preparing to stay home in protest at Donald Trump's immigration policies. Employees taking part will not come into work or buy products and some businesses are not planning to open at all.

The protest is aimed at showing the Trump administration the importance of immigrants. Restaurants will close for the whole of Thursday (16 February) with many restaurateurs choosing to pay employees and take the financial hit.

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Flyers being shared on social media called on immigrants to not attend work, open businesses, shop online or in stores, eat at restaurants, buy petrol, attend classes or send children to school. "To the President: Without us and our contribution this country is paralyzed!!!" one read.

Restaurateur José Andrés tweeted his support, saying his three Jaleo restaurants and two others in Washington DC would not open "in support of our people & #ADayWithoutImmigrants".

Andrés has been locked in a lawsuit with Trump since he pulled out of a planned restaurant for his DC hotel after the then-presidential candidate made disparaging comments about Mexican immigrants.

Washington DC is set to be one of the hardest hit cities with news agencies listing all the restaurants set to close in solidarity.

Some restaurateurs are planning to keep going while still supporting their staff though. Colin McDonough told the Washington Post that him and his co-owner will be manning the kitchen while his most of his employees stay home, without losing pay. "It will be a very limited menu because we are not as talented as the people who normally work there," McDonough told the paper.

Donald Trump