Immigrants Leaving Phoenix Before New Laws, Leave Empty Communities Behind

Posted by: Tim Halbur

28 July 2010 - 9:00am

July 29th is the day Arizona's new tough illegal immigration law goes into effect. As immigrants flee the state in fear of being arrested, neighborhoods are emptying and small businesses are feeling the lack of customers.

Nick Riccardi reports: "No one has measured the effect of SB 1070 on businesses, or the number of immigrants it has prompted to leave Arizona. But merchants say the repercussions are clear — not just in how it's prompted many families to leave the state, but scared others enough to curtail their regular activities."

Riccardi talks to business owners who say that the immigrants who do stay are afraid to leave their homes, which means fewer people shopping. Others report that their workforce has fled.

Full Story: Fleeing Phoenix out of fear of immigration law

Source: The Los Angeles Times, July 27, 2010