ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLUMBIA - It is unclear whether local immigrants will participate in a nationwide boycott today to show their impact on South Carolina and the nation.

''A Day Without an Immigrant'' calls for immigrants

- mostly Hispanic - to stay home from work and spend no money as a way to ''say we are here,'' said Jennifer Feliciano, a Columbia real estate agent.

The movement, which has included rallies of millions of people nationwide, began after the U.S. House passed a bill in December that would make it a felony to illegally cross U.S. borders or help anyone do so. The Senate has changed the bill to make it less harsh, but is still working out details.

The Coalition for New South Carolinians is not supporting the boycott, said coalition director Irma Santana. ''We don't condemn it,''

Santana said. ''It's just the coalition and its board members don't support it.''

The coalition rallied more than 3,000 people for a march on the Statehouse earlier this month to call for immigration reform.

The coalition does not want an aggressive boycott to strain relationships with local businesses, Santana said. But she said she understands why some might choose to boycott.

''The goals are the same,'' Santana said. ''How you get there is the difference. We still believe we are all pursuing the same goal of comprehensive immigration reform.''

Employers, however, caution against failing to show up for work. ''They better be here, or

they're fired,'' said Rafiel Vazquez, manager of an El Cancun restaurant in Rock Hill. ''It's that simple.''

The Columbia Farms poultry processing plant in West Columbia planned to run an extra weekend shift in case its largely Hispanic work force stays home Monday, said Mike Flowers, company safety director.