Illegal Immigrants Plan to Leave Over Ariz. Law

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Newsmax - Illegal Immigrants Plan to Leave Over Ariz. Law

Many of the cars that once stopped in the Home Depot parking lot to pick up day laborers to hang drywall or do landscaping now just drive on by.

Arizona's sweeping immigration bill allows police to arrest illegal immigrant day laborers seeking work on the street or anyone trying to hire them. It won't take effect until summer but it is already having an effect on the state's underground economy.

"Nobody wants to pick us up," Julio Loyola Diaz says in Spanish as he and dozens of other men wait under the shade of palo verde trees and lean against a low brick wall outside the east Phoenix home improvement store.

Many day laborers like Diaz say they will leave Arizona because of the law, which also makes it a crime to be in the U.S. illegally and directs police to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are illegal immigrants.

Supporters of the law hope it creates jobs for thousands of Americans.

"We want to drive day labor away," says Republican Rep. John Kavanagh, one of the law's sponsors.

An estimated 100,000 illegal immigrants have left Arizona in the past two years as it cracked down on illegal immigration and its economy was especially hard hit by the Great Recession. A Department of Homeland Security report on illegal immigrants estimates Arizona's illegal immigrant population peaked in 2008 at 560,000, and a year later dipped to 460,000.

The law's supporters hope the departure of illegal immigrants will help dismantle part of the underground economy here and create jobs for thousands of legal residents in a state with a 9.6 percent unemployment rate.

Kavanagh says day labor is generally off the books, and that deprives the state of much-needed tax dollars. "We'll never eliminate it, just like laws against street prostitution," he says. "But we can greatly reduce the prevalence."

Day laborers do jobs including construction, landscaping and household work for cash paid under the table. Those jobs have been harder to find since the housing industry collapsed here several years ago.

Standing near potted trees and bushes for sale at a Home Depot in east Phoenix, Diaz, 35, says he may follow three families in his neighborhood who moved to New Mexico because of the law. He says a friend is finding plenty of work in Dallas.

Diaz says he has too much to lose by staying — he's supporting a wife and infant son back home in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, across the border from El Paso, Texas.

"They depend on me to survive," he says. "I'm not going to wait for police to come and arrest me."

Jose Armenta, a 33-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico's western coast, is already planning to move to Utah within the next 20 days because of a combination of the economy and the new law.

"A lot of people drive by," he says as he watched nearby cars speeding past, "and they yell, 'Hey, go back to Mexico!'"

Analysts say it's too soon to tell what lasting effects the law will have on the state's underground work force, which also includes baby sitters, maids and cooks.

A study of immigrants in Arizona published in 2008 found that non-citizens, mostly in the country illegally, held an estimated 280,000 full-time jobs. The study by researcher Judith Gans at the University of Arizona examined 2004 data, finding that they contributed about 8 percent of the state's economic output, or $29 billion.

Losing hundreds of thousands of unskilled laborers wouldn't hurt the state's economy in the short term, but it could limit the economy's ability to grow once it recovers, says Marshall Vest, director of the Economic and Business Research Center at the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management.

Legal workers who are willing to take any available job now will become more choosy if the unemployment rate falls back to low levels seen before the recession hit.

"That's really the question, as to whether the existing population is willing to work those (low-level) jobs," Vest says. "I think economics provides the answer. If job openings have no applicants, then businesses need to address that by raising the offered wage."

Some illegal immigrants, however, intended to stick around.

Natalia Garcia, 35, from Mexico City, says she and her husband — a day laborer — will stay so their daughters — both born in the U.S. — can get a good education and learn English. The couple have been living in Arizona illegally for the last 10 years.

"Mexico doesn't have a lot of opportunities," she says. "Here, we work honestly, and we have a better life."

Olga Sanchez, 32, from southern Mexico, lives in Phoenix illegally with her two brothers, who are 21 and 17. While the youngest boy is in high school, all three work and send money back home to their parents.

"This law is very bad for us," says Sanchez, who gets about $250 a week cleaning three houses. "I'm afraid of what's going to happen."

She says the family is going to wait and see if the law takes effect and what the fallout will be before deciding whether to leave. The law is certain to be challenged in court; Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff already are considering lawsuits.

"All I ask from God is a miracle for us to stay here and work," she says.

[gnmwilliams]

Poor illegal immigrants...

[Guest 6.8 AR]

One battle in the Mexican-American War is being won, already!

[Garufa]

One battle in the Mexican-American War is being won, already!

They will just go to another state.

[Guest Caveman]

This is such a bunch of . These BJ's are here illegally AND are working illegally, not paying taxes and most likely getting some form of government assistance as well. Yet they have the nerve to get upset over this law. I'm supposed to feel sorry for this guy, who is taking advantage of me and the rest of us, because he is supporting a family in Mexico? I am trying to support a family here IN AMERICA and I'm doing it LEGALLY.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Maybe so, but when other states do what AZ did, what are they going to do, then? Hopscotch around the country?

They can always go work in the 'blue' states, until they turn 'red'.

It's a good start.

[Guest 1817ak47]

I read a similiar article if not the same one last night.

but some of the cities are going to file a lawsuit against this according to what I read. WTF is going on in this country???

[MCSCOTT]

Maybe so, but when other states do what AZ did, what are they going to do, then? Hopscotch around the country?

They can always go work in the 'blue' states, until they turn 'red'.

It's a good start.

X2

IMO what AZ as a state is doing with this could finally be the start to what the federal government should have been doing all along. Once the places that are against what AZ is doing become overrun with illegals, they will eventually follow suit with laws that should already be enforced.

[Guest 1817ak47]

X2

IMO what AZ as a state is doing with this could finally be the start to what the federal government should have been doing all along. Once the places that are against what AZ is doing become overrun with illegals, they will eventually follow suit with laws that should already be enforced.

good point

[Guest SUNTZU]

The Associated Press: Mexico acknowledges migrant abuse, pledges changes

Just released report from Amnesty International on Mexico's abuse of migrants from their SOUTHERN border.

MEXICO CITY — Amnesty International called the abuse of migrants in Mexico a major human rights crisis Wednesday, and accused some officials of turning a blind eye or even participating in the kidnapping, rape and murder of migrants.

The group's report comes at a sensitive time for Mexico, which is protesting the passage of a law in Arizona that criminalizes undocumented migrants.

The Interior Department acknowledged in a statement that the mainly Central American migrants who pass through Mexico on their way to the United States suffer abuses, but attributed the problem to criminal gangs branching out into kidnapping and extortion of migrants.

Rupert Knox, Amnesty's Mexico researcher, said in the report that the failure by authorities to tackle abuses against migrants has made their trip through Mexico one of the most dangerous in the world.

"Migrants in Mexico are facing a major human rights crisis leaving them with virtually no access to justice, fearing reprisals and deportation if they complain of abuses," Knox said.

Central American migrants are frequently pulled off trains, kidnapped en masse, held at gang hideouts and forced to call relatives in the U.S. to pay off the kidnappers. Such kidnappings affect thousands of migrants each year in Mexico, the report says.

Many are beaten, raped or killed in the process.

One of the main issues, Amnesty says, is that migrants fear they will be deported if they complain to Mexican authorities about abuses.

At present, Article 67 of Mexico's Population Law says, "Authorities, whether federal, state or municipal ... are required to demand that foreigners prove their legal presence in the country, before attending to any issues."

The Interior Department said the government has taken some steps to combat abuses and Mexico's legislature is working to repeal Article 67 "so that no one can deny or restrict foreigners' access to justice and human rights, whatever their migratory status."

The Amnesty report said one female migrant told researchers that Mexican federal police had forced her group off a train and stolen their belongings. Forced to walk, she said, she was subsequently attacked by a gang and raped.

The Interior Department said it shares Amnesty's concern, and called the report "a valuable contribution."

Mexico has long been offended by mistreatment of its own migrants in the United States.

The Arizona law — slated to take effect in late July or early August — makes it a state crime to be in the U.S. illegally and allows police to question anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant. Mexico has complained that the law would lend itself to racial profiling and discrimination.

Kumbaya.

[MCSCOTT]

makes it a state crime to be in the U.S. illegally

While I do realize that part of the issue is the difference between state and federal, the fact that people are protesting this a law that makes it a crime to do something illegal simply baffles me.

[saintsfanbrian]

I think AZ has a great start and if NM, TX, and CA would do the same a big part of the illegal problem would go away. We would then have to start North and East to totally clean it up.

[Volzfan]

They will just go to another state.

I hope TN takes note and passes this type of legislation before our neighbors do.

[Guest SUNTZU]

While I do realize that part of the issue is the difference between state and federal, the fact that people are protesting this a law that makes it a crime to do something illegal simply baffles me.

And they wouldn't need the state law if the federal government would do their job.

[Guest Caveman]

And they wouldn't need the state law if the federal government would do their job.

The federal government is too busy going after the rights of law abiding American citizens.

[MCSCOTT]

The federal government is too busy going after the rights of law abiding American citizens.

Winner!!!!!!

[Guest SUNTZU]

The federal government is too busy going after the rights of law abiding American citizens.

[leroy]

Maybe so, but when other states do what AZ did, what are they going to do, then? Hopscotch around the country?

They can always go work in the 'blue' states, until they turn 'red'.

It's a good start.

I think this is a great truth; but I believe there is another component of this issue that has not been discussed nor reported much. I believe that one of the greatest factors in this move is that AZ got tired of their citizens being murdered and pushed around in ranches along the border by the Mexican Drug Cartel and other Mexican trash that own the border now and continue to operate with impunity (...and seeming immunity... from being punished. Remember, there are still two Border Patrol officers sitting in jail over this --- it happened on the Bush watch---he refused to pardon them----they were jailed by justice department bureaucrats….).

The Federal Government has continued to refuse to do anything about it. This whole issue is being perpetuated to large extent by a political class that does not have any problems on their borders (...read that all the states that don’t border Mexico who have foolish representation, both Republican and Demorat, who are courting the Latino vote with an eye toward politics...).

The fact is that an overwhelming majority of the citizens of this country DO NOT WANT AN OPEN BORDER BETWEEN MEXICO AND THE USA; but the political class has allowed a "shadow" open border thru refusal to act and orders to the bureaucracy. The current administration certainly doesn’t want to close the border because of the obvious pandering to the illegal Latino community with the goal of adding more serfs to govern to increase the voting base. An important, but secondary, effect of it is the reduction in illegal labor in the construction, yard mowing, and other such industries. I firmly believe that it is a start in the right direction for individual states that are much closer to the voters of the state than the federal government is.

This issue aint about putting illegal day workers out of a job; as some would have you believe. It is about a combination of the abuse of federal power by individuals in both political parties and the use of federal authority and power to punish any within government who would presume to actually enforce the laws of this country. It is about the will of the individual people in individual states to feel secure in their own property.

Food for thought.

Keep up the good work,

Leroy

[saintsfanbrian]

Remember it was a long time ago (1861 to be precise) when a war was fought over the states rights to govern themselves.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

It sure is, Leroy. A political class wants votes to perpetuate their

"power" and become slavemasters. Politics caused this problem by

intentional inaction of laws already on the books.

[leroy]

More interesting reading from "The Hill" blog (...link here:Mack ® compares Ariz. law to Nazi Germany - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room...). Spoken by US Congressman Connie Mack, Jr, Story here (...note the "money" sentence in red in the article...):

..."This law of 'frontier justice' – where law enforcement officials are required to stop anyone based on 'reasonable suspicion' that they may be in the country illegally – is reminiscent of a time during World War II when the Gestapo in Germany stopped people on the street and asked for their papers without probable cause," Mack said in a statement.

"This is not the America I grew up in and believe in, and it’s not the America I want my children to grow up in," he added.

The Arizona law would allow law enforcement officers who come into legal contact with individuals to demand proof of citizenship if there is a "reasonable suspicion" that person may be undocumented.

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Considered a potential candidate for statewide office in Florida, Mack's position may help with the state's large Hispanic population.

Marco Rubio has also criticized the bill.

Source:

...

Mack is the sitting Republican Congressman from Florida's Fourteenth district. West coast of Florida. Naples to Port Charlotte. A couple of things about this "opposition" interest me about his outraged pronouncements:

1. He aint got the problem that the folks in AZ have; yet he is "outraged" by their solution. There aint a common border between Florida and Mexico.

Why is it that as smart as Congressman Mack is, he hasn’t thought of or supported the idea of enforcement of border security at the Federal Level? We used to do that (...years ago, of course...). I suspect that Congressman Mack is aware of that.

2. Plenty of yards to mow, beds to make, retirement cottages (...and palaces...) to build in his district --- you get the picture. Recon where that labor comes from?

My take is Connie Mack Jr. could care less about anything other than cheap labor and Hispanic votes. Pandering, pure and simple.

Notice Rubio's objection ---He is a Republican from Miami. He needs votes too. Interesting isn’t it.

It appears to me that both Mack and Rubio are guilty of shameless pandering. I also find Mr. Mack's "Nazi" comments offensive. I suspect that the real residents of his district will too, if they get widely reported, that is. How about you?

Food for thought.

Leroy

[Guest Jamie]

"Illegal Immigrants Plan to Leave Over Ariz. Law"

If this is true, then I do believe this is the first law I ever recall working the way it was intended.

J.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Leroy.. I agree.. there is a lot of pandering going on .. on both sides.. watch and remember whom do it.. never forget.. we need to find strong believers in the constitution and those that will support and represent the true conservitive base.

[greenego]

Maybe they will go to San Fransisco.

[kb4ns]

Maybe they will go to San Fransisco.

We could only hope!!