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Arizona law leaves divisive legacy
The past few years haven’t been the best for a man trying to make an honest living selling tortillas in Arizona. Business owner Sergio Paez estimates that he has lost 20 businesses as customers in the past three years, from small neighborhood taquerias to chain restaurants.
In 2010, his tortilla business was suffering thanks to the nationwide recession. Then Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law the state's controversial immigration enforcement policy known as SB 1070, and things got even worse, he said.
“The law affected the immigrant population dramatically,” said Paez, a naturalized citizen from Mexico whose Phoenix-area factory produces about 200 dozen tortillas an hour.
“The economy had already been going down with the housing crisis - construction stopped, people were losing homes, jobs, cars. That triggered the recession, but I think this law aggravated it here.”
With oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court set for Wednesday in the Obama administration’s constitutional challenge to the law, the outcome will have far-reaching implications for Arizona and other states that have implemented similar policies since 2010.
But critics of Arizona’s law believe the damage has been done. Aside from its economic impact, they say, the law has torn apart families, divided communities and sown distrust of law enforcement. Moreover, there’s a fair share of fatigue over the subject, with some saying the battle over 1070 has distracted attention from far more serious issues facing the state.
Not everyone perceives the effects as negative. If undocumented immigrants are leaving the state in fear, then the law is working, said Phoenix resident Ana Gaines. She also said crime rates are down, citing county attorney statistics that CNN was unable to immediately verify.
The broader impact of the law resides in the message it sends by its very nature, said Gaines, who has become the public face of the law's supporters.
“I love this country and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. But I would never want to be here illegally,” said Gaines, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Mexico. “This law tells people that Arizona does not welcome illegals, plain and simple. You can come at your own risk or go somewhere else.”
Exact numbers of people who have left the state because of the law are hard to come by, but both camps know it’s happening. By now, it’s a familiar narrative: Fearing persecution by law enforcement, many Hispanics, both legal and undocumented, stayed in their homes. Businesses, especially those that catered primarily to the Hispanic community, took a hit. People fled the state - some to prevent their families from being torn apart, others in search of work.
Mario, 20, is an undocumented immigrant whose parents brought him to Arizona from Mexico when he was 2. Shortly before SB 1070 took effect in July 2010, his parents sold most of their possessions, packed his two younger siblings into their Chevy Tahoe and moved to Texas. Also undocumented, they were afraid of being arrested and deported. Mario insisted on staying, refusing to run from the place he considered home.
“If it happens in Arizona, who says it won’t happen in Texas? If you run away from one state then maybe another state will catch on to that. If all 50 of them get together, maybe they’ll run us out of the country,” he said. “Leaving the country would be leaving my home and I believe that I am an American.”
Times have been tough since his family left, Mario said. Without enough money to support himself, he bounces around the homes of friends, dividing his time between work and school, which he pays for in full because he can’t apply for financial aid.
But he’s lonely without his family and he wonders if he did the right thing by peeling away from them.
“I hope they don’t have a grudge against me, because sometimes I feel like I didn’t stick with them when they were in fear. I looked out for my own personal gain and not what’s better for the family on the whole,” he said. “I hope they understand that I’m standing for what I believe in, my right to stay in my home.”
The law’s critics will tell you they’re not “pro-illegal immigration” or “anti-American.” Many support secure borders along with pathways to legal citizenship for those who deserve it and policy reform based on free-market principles.
Yet any discussion of “common-sense, comprehensive” solutions on the federal or state level seems to have been relegated to the back burner while 1070 is front and center, said Arizona blogger Julie Erfle.
Its prominence in the news cycle has ebbed and flowed in the past year, she said, with the recall election of Sen. Russell Pearce, the law’s main sponsor, and a federal investigation into Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whose reputation for impromptu raids and rough handling of inmates made him the focus of a Department of Justice probe.
“It’s not just 1070 but the DOJ investigation of Arpaio, the recall election, all these things have really led to this divisive attitude and wall of distrust between the Latino community and law enforcement,” she said. “The actual law hasn’t changed much because it was enjoined but the effects of the law are more psychological. It has served to divide the community and stifle debate on other important issues.”
Cuts to education and chronic unemployment are some of the issues on the minds of most Arizonans, she said.
“Definitely, the people who are fighting against 1070 see it as stain on Arizona’s reputation. But by and large, the people in Arizona are tired of it dominating every discussion. They want to talk about other problems and solutions."
Erfle’s journey to Washington to hear arguments in the gallery Wednesday began with the shooting death of her husband, a Phoenix police officer and cancer survivor who was killed by an undocumented immigrant. Her search for information generated months of discussion with law enforcement, immigration attorneys and faith leaders and led her to believe that the roots of the problem required something more than an enforcement-only approach.
“Immigration reform is incredibly important to me and to be here for what’s definitely a history-making event was a difficult opportunity to pass over,” she said.
At this point, Paez is not sure how the Supreme Court case will affect him, regardless of its outcome. He’s too focused on the daily goals of attracting more clients and diversifying operations with new products, like fried taco shells and tostadas. Slowly but surely, he’s generating positive momentum, he said.
Still, if the law is upheld in its entirety, then the labor force will surely shrink, and there won’t be enough citizens to take all the low-paying jobs in restaurants and agriculture, he surmised. If the Supreme Court strikes it down, politicians will surely fight to resurrect it, thus continuing the cycle of angry rhetoric and protests, none of which helps draw investors from outside the state.
“It takes time to build confidence again for people to invest here,” he said, “I don't know how many people are willing to invest in this type of economy, especially in Arizona, where so many people have left and they’re worried about hiring people with no documents.
“Of course, they need to stop illegal immigration. How they’re going to do that, I don’t think anybody has the answer for that yet.”
On Twitter
This is a fear more real than any lurker or mushroom cloud.
Remember when they rolled out the two wars? A distraction from the wal street casino.
And then moral hazard was OK if you were a big bank or insurance company.
Now the nutty right has good people cowering at home.
Not good
Quit spinning and go back to your own country. This one is America and we have laws which you are not suppose to break or you go to jail at least get deported. I realize these are hard working people and most are excellent friends. However, I cannot go to any of their countries and collect welfare, get free schooling and food stamps. etc. etc.
The Democrats have to be stopped on this one too
More silly nonsense. The economic collapse was caused by the housing collapse, which was caused by government policy. Look it up. Investors (Wall Street) took the fall because they absorbed the bad loans generated by failed fed policy.
If a police officer pulls you over, if you have more than one air-freshener in your car, police can and have reasonably concluded that you have more than just your own body odor to conceal. And so it is with lawnmowers. If a policeman reasonably concludes that your lawnmower may be a stolen item (aka 'illegal'), he can and should reasonably conclude that you may have illegally hired that illegal lawnmower (aka illegal immigrant undercutting licensed lawn mainatanance contractors) and should be questioned and/or arrested for breaking the freaking law.
Exactly. People are like lawnmowers.
Or rather, illegal immigrants are more like inanimate objects than people.
Kudos to you for having the guts to say exactly why this law was passed in the first place.
I have never seen a police officer search a car because of an air freshener; can you tell us where this outlandish thing is happening?
Especially because, you know, police cars have air fresherers in them, also.
Also, mow your own lawn.
That cliche is a sterotype.
It is this kind of mis-information that the left is using to conceal the facts. If you get pulled over, and have a legal driver's license issued in the U.S., there is no room for questions. If there is no legal driver's license, then you were breaking the law and should not have been driving anyway. If you have a license from a foreign country, they can ask to see your passport stamp or visa–just like in any other country (especially the EU).
That's the typical right winger right there. Remember this when you vote this November. Say no to bigotry.
Well, shouldn't we just selectively apply the law?
Does this sheet work at all?
The USA lawn and garden contractor business is suffering, not from jobs being exported overseas, but slaves being imorted from Mexico. When you hire an illegal to do a job, you are not only breaking the law, you are robbing your fellow Americans. So stop bragging about how you help the poor. You, sir, make yourself an enemy of the State when you push your fellow American contractor to the curb in favor of paying your slaves' slave wages and spending savings at Chinamart.
Another way to deal with lawn care situation is to MOW YOUR OWN LAWN!
Illegals should all be deported, including their anchor babies. And yes I am an Obama supporter. These sob stories do not move me at all – they should not be here. Period.
you got that right
Babies born in the United States are United States Citizens, and therefore enjoy all the rights and priviledges that I enjoy. IS Citizens are not subject to deportation.
CNN is a propaganda mill, not a professional news organization.
They have chosen to side with illegal aliens against US Citizens.
The Citizenry should repudiate CNN and its employees at every opportunity. Do not let CNN vermin near your children.
They miss you at FOX. You know the fair and balanced site that has no bias at all. 🙂
Well said.
So why are you still here?
Our borders are EXACTLY as secure as planned. Our southern border ceased to exist as far a profit is concerned when NAFTA passed. That same border that has somehow kept "international terrorists" from mixing with our own domestic terrorists has also allowed MILLIONS of slaves... (for those anti-american enough to hire them illegally)...to enter at will. The will of about 15% of US low enough to hire illegals over legals.
It is too bad the Dems (including Obama) voted against the Bush proposal to naturalize most illegals with a common-sense process that promoted fairness and the economy.
I don't think so
The Plan BUSH had was for AMNESTY.. Which nobosy in their right mind wants...
No Republican would vote for making citizens out of illegal aliens today. Not one.
Most of illegals have legal relatives in USA who don't want to help to apply for legal status. They ignore all laws of USA and should be deported. Attacking US people on behalf of illegal invaders is "shame on you Barack Obama" as Hillary said!
and that is the truth
So we got to accept the criminals so small business can have better incomes?
Not happening. Why can't we citizens have a say?
because they're all criminals? The money they put in, helps our economy.
Of course I let my wife think it's her idea she should also mow the yard.
These articles amaze me. So part of the authors point is that if we require people to follow the law, it will be bad for the tortilla business?? and that is bad? Does that same reasoning mean that it hurts people to pay income taxes, so we should abolish the tax system?? How about this ...enforce the law, and deport those here illegally.
What good is law if you just change it every time too many break it? No good at all.
You have it exactly backwards. When a law is repeatedly violated and ignored by MILLIONS of people (for every illegal employee there is at least an employer) it is the law that is wrong and must be Comprehensively Reformed.
"The United States seems to be the only country in the world expected to not enforce its own borders, language, and culture.
Try going anywhere else illegally and then refusing to assimilate and learn the local language... see what happens to you.
CNN wants us to empathize with Sergio Paez because he has been making his living off of the illegal immigrant community?!?!"
I agree.
I don't feel sorry for him at all, since he is capitalizing on the illegal staus of his customer base.
True, try to cross into Iran, even by accident, and see what happens to you.
Yeah, and I guess conservatives want to turn this country into Iran.
You know it!
Yeah – Arizonians aspire to be more like Iran.
The spanish language and culture are also American language and culture! Who do you think built the Panama Canal, the Broklyn Bridge and the Hoover Dam? They were immigrants who came from Europe, South and Central America and the Caribbean!
and what's your point? Those are immigrants who CONTRIBUTED...that was also many many years ago. We can't be the world's saviour anymore. What don't you understand about that? I could give a crap less if this law divides families. If they would't leave their country, there wouldn't be a worry about the division of their families and cultures. If I wanted to have Mexican culture, I'd take a vacation there. If I wanted to live in "the barrio", I'd move to Mexico. There's nothing wrong with separation of culture and separation of legal citizens and illegal "residents".
Spanish languag and culture is not American language and culture. It's Mexican and South American. America was not built by Spanish immigrants, illegal or otherwise.
Were they legal?
for the umpteenth time....we are talking about illegal immigrants. The Europeans were not illegal..and before you say anything about the Indians...remember that it is a fact that they came from Asia many years ago...so we are all immigrants.
Legal-OK Illegals go home
What made it more legal than now?
"The spanish language and culture are also American language and culture! Who do you think built the Panama Canal, the Broklyn Bridge and the Hoover Dam? They were immigrants who came from Europe, South and Central America and the Caribbean!"
The key to that was LEGAL immigration. And Spanish ia not an AMERICAN language, it is Spain's language!
"
and those immigrants came here legally and assimilated. instead of trying to take over this country and turn it into another mexico, they wanted to be AMERICANS and not mexican-americans.
Why do you hate poor people so much?
Paid by white English speaking Americans. And engineered by English speaking American citizens.
The Panama Canal is not in the USA, genius. Does this also mean we should speak Chinese for the railroads, various African tribal languages for the slaves' enormous contributions to the country's early economy/infrastructure?
yes, all that labor was done by LEGAL who had to wait their turn to come into this country LEGALLY. Even Mexico has strict immigration laws that forbid non citizens from working.
Stop with they were immigrants, too. You are at least right, they were immigrants not illegals. They didn't sign up for welfare, medicaid, have us pay for their babies then have more to stay on the dole. They came the hard way with worse problems than the poorest Mexican, and many were slaves or indentured. They had honor, the illegals now days fleece every American worker and demand free college, amnesty, the more they get the more they think they deserve.
they were immigrants, yes – but were they ILLEGAL??????
The only language in the USA is English. However you have Italian German Spanish etc. So when my family came to the states LEGALLY MIND YOU. The learned ENGLISH. The language unites our values as Americans. People think that for some reason Spanish takes precedence over Italian or any other language is pretty stupid. Your American and here I am proud to speak English. I can speak Spanish and Italian its great. Make no mistake..If you have been in the military and served your country as I have ENGLISH is the ONLY Language amongst soldiers and one uniform makes them all one nationality American!! So when you sing the National Anthem what language is it in moron?
You are the uninformed moron that is ready to let Mexico take over Texas California,New Mexico,AZ.Your the stupid trash that says immigrants built America...Ya but they went thru due process to become an American citizens not sneaking across the boarder trespassing cutting fences digging tunnels bringing loads of drugs and other problem we do not need in America .
I speak Spanish but it is not my culture because I am not Spaniard, I was born Bolivian, I keep my culture and embrace my new country of choice.
My culture of birth is very diferent of Mexico, Cuba, etc.
People have to learn English, assimilate and first not to arrive illegaly.
Yeah, its called being an ugly American. The fact that Americans visit other countries and then expect that country's people to bend over backwards just because he/she is American and deserves special treatment doesn't strike you as odd? Kettle is Pot and I must say something about your current hue...
Key word being "visit". These people aren't visiting–they're living here. I've been overseas . . . for a week or so at a time. I didn't stay, take a job I shouldn't have been given, enroll my kids in school, and send all my earnings out of the country, for the next 30 years.
We do bend over backwards for Americans and Europeans when they have DOLLARS. Learn the Asians my Latino friends.
Lots of people visit other countries from all over. They cross the border at official border crossings and show proper ID and then spend a bunch of money in that country and then leave. When staying at a nice hotel American do expect to be treated nicely like all people do in nice hotels around the world.
Sneaking across a border illegally and you might not get the same treatment. You are sneaking over the border to make money, not spend it and you won't be staying in a nice hotel.
So, you believe that there is no difference between vacationing ( giving our money too there economy), and illegally immigration ( thief of tax money). You are funny.
Silly nonsense. No connection in anything other than bitterness.
Ha! What a joke! The old outdated phrase "Ugly American" referred to American tourists in Europe during the 1970's who got upset because European restaurants didn't cater to their American tastes. Rude perhaps, but NOTHING compared to the "Ugly Mexican" who not only expects us to automatically grant him CITIZENSHIP but also demands that voting ballots be printed in Spanish!!!!
At least the "Ugly American" had the decency to GO BACK HOME after he was done visiting!!!!!
The Americans visit these other countries carrying, by law, something required in those countries ~ passports.
I'm American and have lived in 5 different countries over the past 11 years and I have NEVER met an American who expects people to "bend over backwards for them" or give them "special treatment". I have however made awesome foreign friends, girlfriends, co-workers etc BECAUSE I'm American, and so have other Americans I have met. There is no such thing as "the ugly American" and it seems the only ones expecting special treatment are illegal Mexicans who hate the US and boo our anthem at sporting events, but who want to live there.
I agree....what part of illegal is legal......pass a law that would allow them to apply to become citizens and contribute to this country.....which protects their rights....have them pay taxes like the rest of us.......shame on all those who hire and pay people who are here illegally....hire american...what about all those who had struggeled for years to get her legally...what do you say to them........This country was built by immigrants....times have changed....it used to be people came here to live and be American....most now come to live OFF America.........sad....very sad..........
Jo, How many black and latinos do you know Jo? People do not come to America to milk the system but for a better life for themselves and their families. It is okay to come and pick your crops and scrub the toilet and not be given the same rights.
This law is profiling people and diviing it. If you have worked hard and build a like here then you should be allowed to stay. Did we not give millions of White Europeans that opportunties. We had boatloads arrive and most of them were illegals but were given status.
Latinos for Obama
Your saying they don't pay taxes pay taxes like the rest of us...hb the taxes they pay when they buy grocerys, pay for gas, buy clothes?
Thank you JO! This is how you solve the problem, plain and simple. Funny how this is only happening at southern states which are predominantly Republican. The GOP should take Newt Grin. advice on illegal immigration and see how they will undoubtfully end Obama's presidency. Unfortunately, no one really seems to really want to tackle the issue!
The immigration problem is a fuzzy one. Not as black and white as you make it out to be. Illegals DO pay taxes of course. They pay sales tax, they have taxes taken out of their paychecks, and of course the big one – they have Social Security taken out of their paychecks. Since they are illegal and are using someone else's social security number (or completely false one) that means Social Security is getting money that It will not give back. The fed likes this. Illegal immigration may hurt locally (hospitals and schools) but it helps nationally for Social Security. And of course there is that whole "cheap labor" thing they bring too. Like i said – its not an easy cut and dried case. If you could snap your fingers and have all illegals disappear – the effects would be pretty immediate, and pretty bad. Unfortunately our empire needs its peasant class.
Thank you.
So he should control who eats tortillas because he sells tortillas? Man, that is WEAK. Should we sneer at the grocers who don't chase away illegals when they buy groceries? How about an illegal who wants to buy four tires for his truck? Yeah, who wants his money, right? And WalMart shouldn't sell them a shirt in case they are illegals? That's just stupid; every dime they spend stays here.
So you think that is a fair trade off for them not paying taxes like the rest of us? Yet they receive assistance while still being illegal.
So you are good with Criminals getting special treatment huh? I have a good idea, why don't we let the violent criminals have a weekend trip to your house.
Because America produces every product sold in America
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Yes!
Extremely good point...
Ever heard of Europe? No, of course not. You only have a US high school education.
He could move his business to Mexico. Would he have to relocatae as an illegal there or is he one here?
CNN is exactly like our politicians who are bent to protect the illegals over the American Citizen no matter the cost or consequences. they are BREAKING THE LAW
Exactly, if you are here illegally, go back, you are not welcome here.