Immigrant Group Predicts Recent Arizona Anti-Immigrant Legislation Will Effect Arizona Economy

Elias Bermudez, of Immigrantes sin Fronteras (Immigrants without Borders) announced on July 19th plans to organize a consumer and worker boycott against the Super Bowl being held in Phoenix in January 2008. Immigrantes sin Fronteras is pursuing the boycott as a reaction to recent legislation in Arizona that they consider anti-immigrant. The legislation places strict sanctions against employers who use undocumented immigrant labor.

The group believes the boycott is an opportunity to demonstrate the importance of immigrant labor (and illegal immigrant labor) to the economy of Arizona by targeting a major tourism event.

Immigrant sin Fronteras have been active advocates in Arizona for Hispanic laborers and immigrants during the past few years as illegal immigration has become a major domestic political issue. In the past, the group has been responsible for large marches in conjunction with other advocate groups to call for reforms that will help integrate a large undocumented Hispanic work force into America's economy.

ARIZONA GOVERNOR SIGNS LEGISLATION TO LIMIT USE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WORKERS

Recent legislation passed by the Arizona state legislature and approved by Governor Janet Napolitano sanctions employers who use undocumented illegal immigrant labor. The legislation followed the failure of the US Congress to pass immigrant reform. Arizona, a border state, passed H.R. 2779.

The law calls for the following:

• strict sanctions against employers who hire undocumented labor
• revocation of business licenses of repeated employee offenders

PRO-HISPANIC IMMIGRANT GROUP BELIEVES RECENT ARIZONA LEGISLATION WILL HURT THE STATE'S ECONOMY

Elias Bermudez, the man calling for the Super Bowl 2008 boycott, believes Arizona's new law is a threat to the Hispanic community as a whole. He argues,"In spite of past abuses against Hispanics and minorities in our state, the legislators in Arizona have chosen to take out their frustrations on legal Spanish-speaking Americans.... Instead of telling the truth about our immigrant population and dispelling the myths.... our politicians have allowed Spanish-speaking Americans to take it on the chin again. The lack of courage among our elected leaders here and in Washington, D.C., has created a situation in which America's immigrants are treated as a detriment to our society instead of an asset. It's another demonstration of the racist tendencies that our country has fallen prey to."

Bermudez believes the new legislation will have a negative impact on the economy as immigrants without papers leave the state. He suggests that the legislation will drive some Hispanic-owned businesses underground and towards a cash only model. This will reduce the taxes collected by the state and federal government. He suggests that the real estate market will drop even further given that many of Arizona's immigrants own homes and would be forced to put them on the market if they leave the state. Extra homes on the market will further depress real estate prices.

Bermudez suggests that the law may effect the civil rights of legal immigrants and American citizens of Hispanic descent as employers question their legal status based on their appearance or ethnicity.

THE FUTURE REMAINS TO BE SEEN... WILL THE SUPER BOWL 2008 BOYCOTT GAIN WIDE SUPPORT?

Critics of Bermudez and other immigration advocates believe that illegal immigration is a costly burden on American society, it effects the ability of local markets to achieve fair wages, and that current laws are not enforced. Many Arizonans see the new laws against undocumented workers as a means to target those who benefit the most from illegal immigration---employers.

The impact of laws remains to be seen. That said, Bermudez's assertion that Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans have been important and essential contributors to Arizona's economy throughout its history is indisputable.

The impact or size of the proposed Super Bowl 2008 boycott remains to be seen.

Source: Key Hispanic American Leader in Arizona Calls for Boycott of 2008 NFL Super Bowl in Phoenix (http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/07-19-2007/0004629162&EDATE=)