Posted on 12/22/2007 10:07:48 AM PST by Dubya
PHOENIX Illegal immigrants in Arizona, frustrated with a flagging economy and tough new legislation cracking down on their employers, are returning to their home countries or trying their luck in other states.
For months, immigrants have taken a wait-and-see attitude toward the state's new employer-sanctions law, which takes effect Jan. 1. The voter-approved legislation is an attempt to lessen the economic incentive for illegal immigrants in Arizona, the busiest crossing point along the U.S.-Mexico border.
And by all appearances, it's starting to work.
"People are calling me telling me about their friend, their cousin, their neighbors they're moving back to Mexico," said Magdalena Schwartz, an immigrant-rights activist and pastor at a Mesa church. "They don't want to live in fear, in terror."
Martin Herrera, a 40-year-old illegal immigrant and masonry worker who lives in Camp Verde, 70 miles north of Phoenix, said he is planning to return to Mexico as soon as he ties up loose ends after living here for four years.
"I don't want to live here because of the new law and the oppressive environment," he said. "I'll be better in my country."
He called the employer-sanctions law "absurd."
"Everybody here, legally or illegally, we are part of a motor that makes this country run," Herrera said. "Once we leave, the motor is going to start to slow down."
There's no way to know how many illegal immigrants are leaving Arizona, especially now with many returning home for normal holidays visits. But economists, immigration lawyers and people who work in the immigrant community agree it's happening.
State Rep. Russell Pearce of Mesa, the author of the employer sanctions law, said his intent was to drive illegal immigrants out of Arizona.
"I'm hoping they will self-deport," Pearce said. "They broke the law. They're criminals."
Under the employer sanctions law, businesses found to have knowingly hired illegal workers will be subject to sanctions from probation to a 10-day suspension of their business licenses. A second violation would bring permanent revocation of the license.
Nancy-Jo Merritt, an immigration lawyer who primarily represents employers, said her clients already have started to fire workers who can't prove they are in the country legally.
"Workers are being fired, of course," she said. "Nobody wants to find out later on that they've got somebody working for them who's not here legally."
When immigrants don't have jobs, they don't stick around, said Dawn McLaren, a research economist at Arizona State University who specializes in illegal immigration.
She said the flagging economy, particularly in the construction industry, also is contributing to an immigrant exodus.
"As the jobs dwindle and the environment becomes more unpleasant in more ways than one, you then decide what to do, and perhaps leaving looks like a good idea," she said. "And certainly that creates a problem, because as people leave, they take the jobs they created with them."
Pearce disagreed that the Arizona economy will suffer after illegal immigrants leave, saying there will be less crime, lower taxes, less congestion, smaller classroom sizes and shorter lines in emergency rooms.
"We have a free market. It'll adjust," he said. "Americans will be much better off."
He said he's not surprised illegal immigrants are leaving the state and predicts that more will go once the employer-sanctions law takes effect next month.
"It's attrition by enforcement," he said. "As you make this an unfriendly state for lawbreakers, I'm hoping they will pick up and leave."
Get those doggies rollin
Head ‘em up!
Move ‘em out!
RAWHIDE!!!
I think the self deportation thing is key, when people say that we can’t deport 30 million people they fail to understand that if we make things uncomfortable enough for these drunken pedophiles they will decide it is better to go back to their country than to stay in ours.
Vaya con Dios Martin and be sure to GTFO!
Whoa, whoa, I live in NH—no need to punish us, too!
Doesn't Mexico have a motor?
Or citizens that don't have jobs.
My son went from making $25.00 an hour to making minimum wage, 20 hours a week. He would be thrilled to have one of the jobs that an illegal has.
I process rental applications, many of the applicants are illegal. Their salaries range from $8.00 to $20.00 an hour.
Gee, I wish Texas would do this.
“They don’t want to live in fear, in terror.”
Well, that’s certainly over the top. I suppose entering a country illegally; being paid for jobs that are illegally handed to them; getting free benefits is terror and fear to them.
What planet did this woman step off of?
Perhaps I should limit it to parts of Boston, and the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port! :0)
"People are calling me telling me about their friend, their cousin, their neighbors -- they're moving back to Mexico,"And yet Arizona's favorite senator keeps telling us that we're stuck with them, and that's why we have to accommodate them. Apparently not.
“If unsuccessful, Arizona will become a sandbox with a lot of empty taco bells.”
By what process would that happen?
Mexico has harsher immigration and foreign worker laws than America does, Pedro.
It is good that illegal aliens are realizing they are better off in their own country, even though they don’t seem to care they are breaking the laws of the country they are illegally in.
However, I doubt that most are going back to Mexico. I would think they are going to different states for another shot before thinking about calling it quits. I believe this is a smoke screen piece to make people think the vast majority are leaving, but they are really trying to go underground by putting out these stories, and just moving to a different part of the country.
Well, bye.
How many have you dropped a dime to ICE on?
I think you’re right. I wouldn’t start the celebration just yet.
That’s a plan I can get behind!
What does it say about Herrera that he abandoned his own country's motor? Seems like it could use a little speeding up.
I think America's motor can handle any blip created by his return to his own country. If the need arises, we can increase legal immigration. Of course, Herrera should be moved to the back of the line for breaking our country's laws. The 12 million remaining can get behind him.
To Martin Herrera let me just say, Montana sucks worse than you can possibly imagine.
The trend is growing. Keep the pressure on and drive out the criminals!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.