Is Arizona Law Sending Business South?

Strict State Immigrant Law Places Burden On The Business Not To Hire Illegals

(CBS)  It's nearly midnight in downtown Phoenix. Mexican immigrants, some legal, some not, are heading for the border - any border - outside of Arizona.

"Every day, every day, every single day there's a new family with the same story," a bus-station employee told CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy.

They can't find work, thanks to a new Arizona immigration law - one of the toughest in the nation.

"The No. 1 lure for illegal aliens in this country is jobs," Arizona state Rep. Russell Pearce said.

So Pearce wrote a law saying if a business knowingly hires an illegal immigrant, they won't simply be fined - they'll be shut down.

"If you shut down the rides and turn off the lights the crowds will go home," Pearce said.

And they are: Entire apartment buildings are empty, students are disappearing from schools, stores that catered to Hispanic families … closed.

You can also see it at a work center in Phoenix where they used to have more than 100 people every day looking for work. Now it's less than half that.

But it's not just the law, it's also protestors who are scaring away business.

"They call us racists for wanting our laws enforced," one protester said. "We're not against immigrants ... legal immigrants"

"Are you in the country legally?" Tracy asked a worker.

"I don't want to answer that question," he replied

But it's a question states are asking because federal immigration reform failed. Fifteen states are proposing laws with penalties for employers similar to the one in Arizona.

But Jason Levecke, who owns more than 50 burger joints in Arizona, says the new law is an economy killer - turning business owners into immigration agents.

"Nobody is defending illegal immigration," Levecke said. "We have to fix the problem but a state can't do it without destroying its economy."

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Read more from Ben Tracy at Couric & Co. Blog: Exploring Immigration's Fault Line

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Levecke hired two people and spent a half million dollars to ensure his workers are legal.

And he's put wraps on plans to open 40 new stores in the state saying it is too risky.

"Who's going to invest in a state where you can lose your business license?" he asked.

One in 10 workers in Arizona is an illegal immigrant. A recent study showed the state's economy would take an 8 percent annual hit if they were removed from the labor force.

"Would you normally have more workers out here right now?" Tracy asked.

"Uh, we would, yes we would," Sheridan Bailey said.

Bailey says the new law is even scaring away legal immigrant workers from his iron-fitting business.

"We will wind up out-sourcing part of our fabrication work to Mexico, where the people are able to work for us," Bailey said.

So as yet another bus heads out of Arizona, the question is how to make the law work without sending the state's economy south.

[rudy654-2009]

If enough states are successful with this, maybe it will force employers to pay a living wage and, thus, attract plenty of legal citizens to fill the positions. We can''''t keep compounding this felony that is helping to ruin our economy and standard of living. PAY ATTENTION TO US LEGAL AMERICANS AND STOP MOLICODDLING THE ILLEGALS!! This is a big part of the CHANGE we need to get our country back. If it keeps going as it has been, our sovernity is going to be lost to this large influx of illegals.
Posted by Besscannon at 08:16 PM

Do you shop at Wal-Mart?

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by corey2444 at 12:19 PM

Increased legal immigration is important to a growing economy. The white old retired faarts harrassing everybody need to be put to work. Anyway, Arizona sounds like it''s losing big time and I say GOOOOOOOD!

Sorry Grammywhammy, but you are another white old racist faart. Call it duplicate racism if you like, you certainly are no stranger to what racism is.

[idahomom2]

Poor Racist Rudy needs to read the newspapers for Tucson and Phoenix......perhaps when he reads the countless crimes committed by "illegal entrants" including rape, murder, robbery, assualt, hit and run, drunk driving etc........he will see what the rest of us already know........those cities/states full of illegals have a huge crime problem!

[grammawhamma]

Most white people in Arizona are nothing but a bunch of old faart retirees who have moved there...
Posted by rudy654 at 10:29 AM : Apr 11, 2008

Is there any way to get rid of you racist rednecks?
Posted by rudy654 at 06:10 PM : Apr 11, 2008


Rudy, Rudy, Rudy...you always call everyone a racist who doesn''t agree with you. Just look at your above comments...hmmmm...they sound kind of racist to me. I must say that you are a prime example of the pot calling the kettle black.

[nottellin1]

This is a big part of the CHANGE we need to get our country back. If it keeps going as it has been, our sovernity is going to be lost to this large influx of illegals.


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Posted by Besscannon at 08:16 PM : Apr 11, 2008

Its coming...a time when US Americans care about their fellow Americans even if no payment is involved. When we can once again look out for our US American (of all races) neighbors and help one another without concern that we are actually assisting someone in their illegal lifestyle. We, as Americans, have worshiped the almighty dollar and made it king for far to long. There is so much more to life.

[besscannon-2009]

If enough states are successful with this, maybe it will force employers to pay a living wage and, thus, attract plenty of legal citizens to fill the positions. We can''t keep compounding this felony that is helping to ruin our economy and standard of living. PAY ATTENTION TO US LEGAL AMERICANS AND STOP MOLICODDLING THE ILLEGALS!! This is a big part of the CHANGE we need to get our country back. If it keeps going as it has been, our sovernity is going to be lost to this large influx of illegals.

[usapatriot70]

Why did Arizona have to go so far with this law? Because the laws that are on the books are not enforced. If these laws were enforced then there would be no need for states to have to pass laws and enforce them. If the use of illegals is what it takes to keep a business afloat then maybe it shouldn''t stay in business. The living wage argument is a whole other story (what is a living wage anyways? Is it what the unions have managed to push their members wages up to? before you answer that look at what has happened in the steel industry and the automotive industry. Is that the living wage an industry that barely exists.).Illegals do nothing for us but cost money what could be done with the tax money that is spent feeding and providing medical care as well as educating the children of these illegals. As far as this being a race issue that is what every thing gets twisted into and its not its legal versus illegal so drop the race bating and while I am going after posters if you can''t string a post together don''t make multiple post minutes apart.

[rudy654-2009]

Many communities in LA County have populations where 80% of the people don''''t speak English. Get both sides of the story - remember you might just get what you ask for.
Posted by CJ382 at 01:58 PM

Is there any way to get rid of you racist rednecks? Go fry something and eat it.

[rudy654-2009]

Oh Rudy, you need to go back into the hole you crawled out of. Didn''''t you know, everyone can grow their own vegatables if it ever got to the point that we were "crying for them". Your comments seem to be less and less meaningful as your cause goes right down the drain.
Posted by nottellin1 at 05:00 PM

Grow your own vegetables. If you can get your fat azz out of in front of your computer to do it. I spelled out exactly what your racism is going to cost you, and it aint only vegetables sweetheart. You racists will end up killing each other in the end.

[nottellin1]

totally love this article. This is great news. I hope this country is successful in getting rid of the illegals. Then I want to see them scream and cry for their vegetables, fruit, etc. When the grocery stores start closing and their restaurants remain empty for lack of workers. YEAH!


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Posted by rudy654 at 10:18 AM : Apr 11, 2008

Oh Rudy, you need to go back into the hole you crawled out of. Didn''t you know, everyone can grow their own vegatables if it ever got to the point that we were "crying for them". Your comments seem to be less and less meaningful as your cause goes right down the drain.

[cj382]

Get both sides of the story - not just business''s.
In LA CA 88 emergency rooms closed, #1 gang city in America, Diane Feinsteins report is 80% of gangs illegal, graffiti everywhere, taking jobs and lowering wages for those in construction and really any labor job,
Total annual cost of illegals on taxpayers exceeds $1 billion LA County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich has announced that a new report shows illegal aliens and their families in Los Angeles County collected over $35 million in welfare and food stamp allocations in July.
In the report, illegals are said to have collected nearly $20 million in welfare assistance for July 2007 and an additional $15 million in monthly food stamp allocations for an estimated annual cost of $440 million. %u201CIllegal immigration continues to have a devastating impact on Los Angeles County taxpayers,%u201Dsaid Antonovich. %u201CIn addition to $220 million for public safety and $400 million for healthcare, the $440 million in welfare allocations bring the total cost to County taxpayers that exceeds $1 billion a year -- this does not include the skyrocketing cost of education.%u201D
Many communities in LA County have populations where 80% of the people don''t speak English. Get both sides of the story - remember you might just get what you ask for.

[rudy654-2009]

consequences of hate. Posted by rudy654 ...yes!! ARIZONA IS DOOMED!!!
Posted by underdogus at 10:25 AM

Yes it is. For centuries Mexicans have crossed that border to work in that state. Legal or not, they were the foundation of that area''s workforce. Most white people in Arizona are nothing but a bunch of old faart retirees who have moved there and become upset about the Mexicans. Well, people may soon want to kick the retirees out of their state for manipulating their businesses in such a way. You may soon see an exodus of RVs. LOL!

[underdogus]

all you have to do is read today''s headlines!!..."farmers crossing the border to Mexico".."middle class feeling the financial squeeze".."march retails sales hit 13 year low"..."gas and oil prices hit new records"..."Frontier Airlines files for bankruptcy"

[rudy654-2009]

good riddance,
Posted by terrorislamh at 07:38 AM

What many will say to you one day.

[underdogus]

consequences of hate. Posted by rudy654 ...yes!! ARIZONA IS DOOMED!!!

[rudy654-2009]

Arizona may purge illegal aliens, but they will also send many legal ones away citing hatred as the reason. The whole country can see it and it is so plain and obvious.
Posted by Pensacola88 at 09:48 AM

To tell you the truth, this is necessary because people need to see and feel the consequences of hate.

[rudy654-2009]

I totally love this article. This is great news. I hope this country is successful in getting rid of the illegals. Then I want to see them scream and cry for their vegetables, fruit, etc. When the grocery stores start closing and their restaurants remain empty for lack of workers. YEAH!

[rudy654-2009]

You racists will drive your economy into the ground, and I say GOOOD! But you fat azzs can stay here on the computer and pretend to be worth something.

[lorinkundert]

Hats off to Arizona, if only other States would follow suit and force those illegal alien criminals back home, this country would be one giant step closer to stability.

[lochlan-2009]

""The No. 1 lure for illegal aliens in this country is jobs," Arizona state Rep. Russell Pearce said.

Congratulations Rep. Russell Pearce!!! That is exactly the way you do it. If only more states will follow your lead. We only need to get rid of NAFTA, and Americans can start to build this country back to the great nation it used to be.