Randi,
I feel sorry for these illegals but the law is the law. If they want to live here they need to do it the right way like every other immigrant before them has done.

This may hurt Arizona’s economy at first but I think it’ll even out soon enough. It’s not going to totally destroy it that’s for sure.

And yes…I think the whole United States needs to adopt these rules and be as stringent.

Cynthia, Covington, Ga.

So why didn’t the lawmakers think of the economic repercussions of the new law? Shouldn’t they have thought of the ramifications of the laws they’re passing? Shouldn’t they be held accountable?

Look, I’m all for immigration reform, but this is a case of people not thinking thoroughly and not planning properly. Immigration reform is not black and white. It’s a complicated issue; one law will not solve it.

Lilibeth
Edmonds, Washington

Are you saying that Phoenix will become a ghost town, or the entire state of Arizona will look like a ghost town?
I find it hard to believe that the entire state of Arizona will resemble a ghost town if illegal immigrants leave. If that is true, then Arizona’s Chamber of Commerce needs to begin luring Americans to Arizona. There are enough Americans who could relocate there and repopulate the state. These Americans could provide labor and new jobs to bolster Arizona’s economy.

If you mean that Phoenix, Arizona will resemeble a ghost town, this is both good and bad. It is good that the state of Arizona is cracking down on illegal immigrants and making them leave. they are breaking the law by working in the country illegally. It is important that as Americans we follow the rule of law.

Since Americans have been so lax with illegal immigrants over the years, they have created a problem that will hurt for a while until they find legal residents to fill their jobs. Some businesses will fail, but others will prosper. Accomodating illegal immigrants is wrong for this country. Cities who have used illegal immigrants for so long will suffer in the short term, but be prosperous in the long term.

I am sorry about the children, but the parents should have done the right thing at the beginning.

“…the state stands to lose tens of billions of dollars in economic output and one and a half billion in tax revenue.”

Good. I think it will be a salutary example of unintended consequences. Lou Dobbs, are you listening?

I Live in Arizona and it is very sad to see what is going on with the people that are here illegally. Most of them are hard workers and all they want is a better future for their families. Arizona’s economy will take a big hit if all of them go back to Mexico or to another state, but at this point they dont have a choice. Also, we have a sheriff here that is hiding his begotry behind the law and has his deputies acting like immigration agents raiding public places and arresting people that are un-documented.

Hi Randi,

I wish our government would show this level of concern for the needs of those of us who are citizens and legal residents. What happens to our jobs? Where do we live? What kind of standard of living do we have when our wages are being driven into the ground by the presence of illegal aliens who are willing to work for comparatively next to nothing?

While I certainly sympathize with those seeking a better life, I cannot condone their actions. The United States has laws, just like every other country. If you want to move here, that’s great — do it legally, or stay home. You do not have the right to just show up in another country, violate its laws, then start demanding a free ride and special treatment. This nonsense of people having kids and hiding in churches while here illegally has got to stop. I think the people of the state of Arizona are doing the right thing, and I hope other states follow their lead. How pathetic that our federal government lacks the will to do the same.

There’s an article on the front page of today’s L.A. Times about illegals being deported back to El Salvador. One of the men interviewed spent $6,500 on a smuggler to bring him into this country illegally. That money could have brought him here legally three times over. Perhaps those considering illegal entry into this country should consider that.

Jeana, Los Angeles, CA

The flood of undocumented aliens does not stop in Arizona. While it is true that many are finding a better life here in America, they have no protection from those who would happily exploit them, they often live in conditions that are utterly deplorable, and they ultimately drive down wages for struggling immigrants who are here legally. These people have no recourse when they are cheated and abused.

There is nothing about cheap produce that justifies the abuse of a population whose only crime is that they were born into poverty. Encouraging a black market in human labor is not a solution.

I live in Alabama…we have PLENTY of illegal immigrants here as well and I agree that they are mostly hard workers….BUT it is ILLEGAL what they are doing….should a DUI be written off because the person drinking was a HARD WORKER? Or if I decide not to pay my taxes next year…would that be ok because I am a hard worker? No…I stand by what our laws are and they should be upheld…there are laws that I do not agree with and if that is one of them you don’t agree with you should fight to change the law, not fight to let them continue to break it.

Generally people against immigration are not BIGOTS as you put it, but I do agree that some are. It sounds to me like the sheriff you have is doing his job! Finding people that are breaking the law!!!! Again, should those deputies not be allowed to raid a public place if some other crime was KNOWINGLY being commited there? Heck..you could walk in Wal-Mart here and take 90% of the customer base at any given time if you wanted to and they would be undocumented.

You may not agree with my opinions, but I’m deeply sadenned when I look at the state of the local education system here because of the flood of illegals have overwhelmed the system and without the taxes that they should be paying we are going broke slowly but surely.

The issue of illegal immigration is not one of racial bigotry, but of social class. The losers on this issue are both the American and Mexican working class. By allowing “illegal” immigration” to exist, your are creating an “institutionalized system of slavery” by having hardworking Mexican workers being used as cheap labor. Then, the American workers are hurt, because their wages are driven lower because of it. The way you solve this problem is to enforce the immigration laws as they stand, rewrite unfair trade programs (raising the standard of living for the Mexican people in their own country), and to encourage the Mexican government to treat their people with respect (so they want to stay in their own country). Those who allow themselves to be fooled into the racial aspect of this argument fall right into the mindset that big business wants them to…Illegal Immigration + Legalization= Big Profits!!!

And in regards to the billions of dollars in economic output lost and tax revenue, I’m sure what they failed to include in those statistics is the billions of dollars in tax dollars that were saved in the reduced healthcare and education costs for illegal workers and their families.

Regarding 360’s Debate on the Boarder. All else aside, the massive influx of illigal immigration equals job loss for American citizens. Latino immigrants dominate the lower wage job market from NY to CA.
It’s so blantantly obvious, to make it a race issue or anything else would be ignoring the reality. For those of us laid off of corp. jobs and forced to seek lower paying jobs, we are at a total disadvantage. For those of you secure in your jobs you can not comprehend what it’s like to have thousands marching the streets demanding your job.

That sounds like B/S to me, theres alot of Americans in need of work but these companys and business do not want to pay an American to work for them, the question is why? The answer is simple, why pay an American $10 to $12 dollars an hour when you can pay an illegal alien $6 or $7 dollars an hour and make them work 50 to 60 hours a week at a set rate! what are the illegals going to do? nothing’ because they have a family to support and the fact that they are illegal who can they tell. they do not want to make waves because they are affraid of being sent back, and these business owners know this!!

Randi

We’re a nation of laws. If the Mexicans want to live here, work here, and have access to our education and social services, they should come legally and pay their taxes just like the rest of us.

And yes, while many do not want the jobs they do there are so many jobs going overseas that sometimes you take what you can get. Competition from someone who isn’t even legally here is not fair to the American citizen who does obey the law and who lost their job through no fault of their own - but through the ignorance of our government and the gigantic corporate greed of our businesses.

Annie Kate
Birmingham AL

All these gloom and doom predictions about the economy if the illegals leave; I don’t believe it. Americans will fill the jobs. It is time for the Mexican government to stop relying on the United States to build a middle class for them.

I never see anyone criticizing the Mexican government for not doing anything for their people. When are the Mexican people going to demand something from their government like they do ours?

This is great! More states need to do the same. If they are illegal…they are breaking the law by being here. They should not be allowed to work. No mercy from me.

I have family members living in Arizona and have been told only the employers who want to pay workers less than a living wage will be affected by the illegal immigrants exodus. Those in most areas are tired to the crime, health care, school costs, etc these people bring about.

Randi,

Arizona needs to slow down…plus, if we took the majority of those on welfare, the jobs will be filled.

Second, illegals depress wages.

Third, I am from Glendale/Phoenix….there are neighborhoods where I grew up where AZ natives are no longer welcome. There are areas where nobody but illegals live and can get a job. There non-mexicans are not wanted.

It is a shame that we all have to put up with Univision’s vision of America…divided by culture, divided by language…run by Elites who have no business interefering with our country when they cannot even manage their own.

I have lived in the southwest all my life and now reside in New Mexico right on the border. I speak Spanish, but so few here who do speak it will even speak to me in Spanish. Here only latinos apparently are allowed to have the skill of two languages..

I also live in Ecuador in South America…I was so surprised to find out that these wonder Latin people are kind and gentle and have pride in their country enough to stay. Yes, some come here in illegally.

Illegal immigration is a huge drain on our society, I am glad to see illegals going back home, no one wants to talk about the real issue, which is why is mexico such a horrible place for its citizens and perhaps we should help them with birth control..losing illegals will never hurt us.

February 29th, 2008 3:23 pm ET

“…the state stands to lose tens of billions of dollars in economic output and one and a half billion in tax revenue.”

Good. I think it will be a salutary example of unintended consequences. Lou Dobbs, are you listening?

WRONG THINKING! I LIVE IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO AND WE WILL NEVER BE A GHOST TOWN. WAKE UP PEOPLE, THIS IS JUST A STORY TO GET VIEWERS TO WATCH.

20 YEARS AGO WE DID NOT HAVE 500,000 ILLEGALS TO BUILD WHAT IS THE GLORY OF PHOENIX. AMERICANS BUILT IT AND THEY WILL BUILD IT AGAIN.

IT USED TO BE THAT A FRAMER FOR CONSTRUCTION COULD 20 DOLLARS AN HOUR OR MORE (BACK IN THE 80′S), NOW THOSE SAME JOBS PAY 10.00 WITHOUT BENEFITS BECAUSE ILLEGALS WORK THEM.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO BELIEVE IN THE IDEA OF A UNION, WOULD YOUR UNION ALLOW SCABS TO TAKE YOUR JOBS…THIS NO DIFFERENCE.

AMERICANS ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR RIGHTS, THEIR JOBS, THEIR WAY OF LIFE.

MEXICANS NEED TO STAY IN MEXICO AND TAKE A STAND AGAINST THE RULING ELITES WHO ARE 10 PERCENT OF THEIR POPULATION, BUT CONTROL 90 PERCENT OF THE WEALTH OF MEXICO.

MEXICO IS NOT POOR. JUST MISMANAGED BY GREEDY PEOPLE..

FURTHER I RESENT COMMENTS FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE WASHINGTON AND NOT ON THE BORDER DEFENDING ILLEGALS OVER THE LIVES OF AMERICANS.

IF YOU LIVE ON THE BORDER AND NO WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, ONLY DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT IS TRULY HAPPENING: MEXICO IS TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE SOUTHWEST AND INDEED THE US THROUGH ATTRITION. (MASSIVE WAVES OF ILLEGALS WHOSE LOYALTY IS TO MEXICO, NOT THE US).

I live in Arizona, and as it happens, near the school district shown. From someone on the inside of this issue:

1. Neither Arizona, nor Phoenix will become a ‘ghost town.’ We have unemployment, just like anywhere else in the U.S., and it will only get higher with the our economy tanking. I’d much rather have an American or a legal immigrant working in the jobs which will now be vacated by the people here illegally.

2. The majority of illegals do not pay taxes, (property or income) so there will only be a small loss to the coffers of the state.

3. There will be some impact on the stores in the area; however, it will be in specific areas of inner-city Phoenix

4. Rather than income to the state, we have a significant drain on the Arizona economy, which will be greatly reduced if there is a significant reduction in the illegal population. Specifically, in the areas of healthcare (both in emergency rooms and our version of the SCHIP program), schools (remember - property taxes pay for schools), WIC, car insurance (Arizona’s is higher than California), and law enforcement.

5. This will be a huge help to our schools, and all the districts of inner-city Phoenix. The average reading level is 2+ years behind grade level. This is because the majority of the student population entering school (from Kindergarten to 12th grade) do so with limited English-Language skills. The teachers must drive-down the curriculum to the lowest-common denominator and everybody suffers. A perfect example of this is the young lady, whose statement was, “It shouldn’t matter if someone is from a different culture or a different country - it ain’t fair.” ‘Ain’t’ ? The news stated that she was a ‘Straight-A student…’ ‘Ain’t’ ? I’ve heard parents state that their children get good grades; however, with a school district in such a poor socio-economic area, with limited English skills, and a low tax base, this statement, unfortunately, doesn’t mean much. If the students’ scores were to be placed side-by-side against the overall state scores, the inner-city of Phoenix would look very bad, indeed.

6. Nobody cares if you’re from a different country or culture. Americans, and particularly Arizonians, do care whether or not you are in the country legally - and asking you to follow our country’s laws is ‘fair.’ We’d have to follow the laws of any country we went to, and we would be expected to arrive there with permission.

7. I’m not sure where CNN found their ‘expert’; however, the loss of an 11% illegal population has been shown, by several analysts, to ultimately be draining our state economy. The loss of the illegal population will actually improve our state budget.

8. Sheriff Joe is doing a terrific job in Arizona. Just two examples: 1) If you were in a car accident in Phoenix and the other party were here illegally, Phoenix PD cannot do anything about it. If the same scenario were to happen outside of the city, in Maricopa county, a county Sheriff has the ability to ensure that all parties are in the country legally. 2) Sheriff Joe is ensuring that convicted criminals are deported after serving their sentences - not just released back into the community.

The majority of Arizonians - who have passed these types of laws with an overwhelming majority, feel that people who are in this country illegally should not be allowed to stay. They need to apply to come to this country legally - just as my Grandfather did.

illegal is illegal What part does any body not understand?
You don’t reward people for breaking the law. Many of them come here and even refuse to learn our language and expect our country to bend over backwards to accommodate them . Come here legally and I will
welcome you with open arms.

I applaud the state of Arizona in taking such a hard line with illegal immigrants. I know most are hard working, but many, that I have seen first hand, as a police officer in Hartford, CT have no respect for the laws that citizens must obey and have no interest in becoming citizens, but in fact want to import their cultural values here.. While Arizona may take an economic hit in the short run, I believe that in the long run, the economy will thrive as costs for supporting illegals( welfare, medical, educational) drop and local citizens take over the jobs filled by illegals, hopefully for a more decent living wage. Also, I believe that there will be a drop in the crime rate as more illegals go home. Some may think that I am being biased, but my 21 years of police experience proves otherwise.

Hi Randi,
As a long time resident of Arizona, I mourned when voters passed this immigration reform. Our housing market is suffering because not only did the hispanic lending market dry up, and that’s a huge impact since 35% of our buyers were hispanic in 2006, but the rental market has unprecedented vacanies. Having volunteered with hispanic children, it has a terrible impact on them as well. They left destitution and had, for the most part, normal working class lives. Now they are uncertain as to what their future holds for them. One ten year old told me he wouldn’t be able to go to high school if he returned to Mexico. He’d have to work to help feed his little brothers and sister. Although I agree that something needs to be done to mitigate the burden placed on our state’s social services, I also think that there is a far better solution that will produce a stronger economy while putting people’s human needs first.

Francesca
Phoenix, AZ