US businesses and schools face possible disruption as workers and students vow to stay home to draw attention to the contribution of immigrants, BBC reports.

The movement, which spread through social media, calls upon foreign-born workers to refuse to participate in the US economy for one day.

Dozens of restaurants in Washington were shut on Thursday, as well as in several locations around the country.

Schools have also poised for the possibility of student walkouts.

In Massachusetts, Wellesley's College's art museum will remove all artworks created or donated by immigrants.

School officials in New Mexico, the US state with the highest percentage of Hispanic residents, are worried that hundreds of kids may stay home.

"We respectfully ask all parents to acknowledge that students need to be in class every day to benefit from the education they are guaranteed and to avoid falling behind in school and life," school administrators with the Albuquerque Public Schools wrote in a letter to parents.