Arizona Immigration Strategy: Make Life
Tough
The bill passed this week reflects the
government's belief that undocumented
immigrants will leave or stay away if
conditions are harsh enough. Critics say
it doesn't work.
PHOENIX (By
Nicholas Riccardi and Ashley Powers,
LAT)
April 15, 2010
―
For years Arizona's government has tried
to deter unlawful immigration with a
consistent approach ― make life for
undocumented immigrants so uncomfortable
and uncertain they will leave, or never
come in the first place.
So this week, when the House of
Representatives passed what's viewed
as the toughest state law against
undocumented immigration in the
nation, it was the continuation of a
pattern that has been widely popular
in the state.
"When you make life difficult," said
state Sen. Russell Pearce, author of
the current bill and earlier
hard-line measures, "most will leave
on their own."
There is evidence that is true. The
number of undocumented immigrants in
Arizona dropped 18% between 2008 and
2009, the largest decrease in the
nation, according to federal
estimates.
"People are not going out to
restaurants. They're afraid to do
things with their families," said
Sergio Gaxiola, 57, of Nogales. "The
pressure has been building."
In 2007, the state passed
first-in-the-nation penalties for
employers who don't ensure their
workers are in the country legally.
The law led many undocumented
workers to conclude they could never
find steady jobs in Arizona.
Last year, the state made it a crime
for state workers to give
undocumented immigrants unauthorized
benefits, which scared many from
applying for government assistance
they are allowed.
The sweeping bill, SB 1070, passed
by the Legislature on Tuesday makes
it a crime to lack proper
immigration paperwork and requires
police, if they suspect someone is
in the country illegally, to
determine his or her immigration
status. It also bars people from
soliciting work as day laborers.
"The bill in its totality is
designed to make life miserable for
immigrants in the state of Arizona,"
said Chris Newman, legal director of
the National Day Laborer Organizing
Network.
Critics say the state's approach to
combating undocumented immigration
doesn't work and only stigmatizes
Hispanics, legal and undocumented.
The drop in undocumented immigrants,
they argue, is largely due to
Arizona's cratering economy, which
has racked up losses in
immigrant-heavy trades faster than
most other states.
"The law doesn't matter to someone
who's willing to risk their life
crossing the border," said Rep.
Daniel Patterson, who represents an
immigrant-heavy district in Tucson
and voted against the bill.
As has happened with other official
steps to deter undocumented
immigration here, Tuesday's
party-line vote ― 35 Republicans
backed the measure and 21 Democrats
opposed it ― was greeted with
populist applause from
anti-undocumented-immigration
activists and a smattering of
protests from civil liberties and
immigrant rights groups. The state
Senate passed a similar bill this
year; after it approves small fixes
in the House version, it will go to
Gov. Jan Brewer.
A few dozen people protested the
measure Wednesday outside the office
of the Republican governor, who has
not commented on the bill but is
widely expected to sign it.
Advocates of the attempt to push
undocumented immigrants out ― known
as "attrition through enforcement" ―
say the tactic is a natural part of
enforcing laws.
"It sends a message their
jurisdiction is not one where you
want to be an undocumented alien,"
said Mark Krikorian of the Center
for Immigration Studies in
Washington, which advocates tighter
immigration restrictions. "That's
what most enforcement is about ― not
to lock everyone up, but to get
voluntary compliance."
Krikorian said although it's not
possible to arrest every
undocumented immigrant, enough
high-profile arrests will send a
message. He noted, for example,
enforcement can discourage drunk
driving, even though it's impossible
to arrest every drunk driver.
Todd Landfried, a spokesman for a
group of businesses that opposed the
bill, disagreed with the analogy. He
said employers will be wary of
hiring anyone who looks foreign for
fear police may be called.
"There is a significant difference
between pulling people over for
drunk driving and passing laws that
create incentives for job
discrimination," Landfried said.
"It's much more harmful to the
broader society."
Critics say the law will lead to
stepped-up racial profiling as
police ask people who appear foreign
to prove they are legal. Immigrants
say they already face discrimination
and expect it to get worse. Graciela
Beltran, 43, of Tucson said she was
asked for immigration papers while
boarding a bus.
Perla Siquieros, 37, said she would
hesitate going to a park patrolled
by police should the bill become
law. "They don't know if I was born
here or married a citizen," she said
through an interpreter.
Some said the campaign won't chase
them out.
"You definitely have to be careful;
it's riskier here now," Jose, a
Phoenix restaurant worker who came
to Arizona from Mexico 20 years ago,
said in Spanish. "But my whole
family is here. This is only a stage
we're living through. It will
change."
Among many Hispanics, however, the
overall sentiment was one of
disbelief.
Adriana, 40, an undocumented
immigrant in Tucson, fears she won't
be able to drive her two U.S.-born
children to appointments without
risking being stopped by police.
"I'm afraid. I can't do nothing. . .
. My whole life is here. My dreams
are here," said Adriana, who is
taking English classes. "I'm worried
about me and everybody. My family,
my kids. We can't do nothing. We're
trapped."
