At least one local restaurant that closed Thursday in support of the nationwide A Day Without Immigrants protest returned Friday to find out exactly how some in the community feel about the decision.

A note on the door of the Taqueria la Parrilla in Watkinsville telling customers it was closing for the day was defaced with a swastika and comments of "Build the wall" and "You just got your last peso from my family." The restaurant was joined by the Athens restaurants Agua Linda, Sr. Sol and Taqueria El Agave as well as many restaurants and businesses nationwide as immigrants around the country took the day off to demonstrate how important they are to America's economy.

The note at the restaurant, located in the Market Center at 1431 Capital Avenue, reads "In light of recent events and social media news, we've decided to stand behind and support our employees as it is thanks to them and their support that we are able to do business. Therefore we are closed today. We're sorry for the inconvenience and ask for your understanding. Sincerely, La Parrilla."

Some were not so understanding, but one woman from the community was.

"Just nasty scrabblings, it was very disappointing to see," said Watkinsville resident Lynn Beckman. "I'm going tonight with a bunch of friends for dinner to support them."

Fine restaurants in New York, San Francisco and the nation's capital closed for the day. Grocery stores, food trucks, coffee shops, diners and taco joints in places like Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston shut down.

The boycott was aimed squarely at President Donald Trump's efforts to step up deportations, build a wall at the Mexican border and close the nation's doors to many travelers.

It was unclear how many people participated, but in many cities, the actions were disruptive, if not halting. More actions are being planned for May 1 - known as May Day, the internationally recognized holiday honoring workers.

At a White House news conference held as the lunch-hour protests unfolded, Trump boasted of his border security measures and immigration arrests of hundreds of people in the past week, saying, "We are saving lives every single day."

Since the end of 2007, the number of foreign-born workers employed in the U.S. has climbed by nearly 3.1 million to 25.9 million; they account for 56 percent of the increase in U.S. employment over that period, according to the Labor Department.

Roughly 12 million people are employed in the restaurant industry, and immigrants make up the majority - up to 70 percent in places like New York and Chicago, according to the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, which works to improve working conditions. An estimated 1.3 million in the industry are immigrants in the U.S. illegally, the group said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.