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Departure of illegal immigrants draws mixed opinions in area

By Jason Soifer, The Daily Courier


Saturday, February 09, 2008

PRESCOTT VALLEY - It is an exodus Sam Rodriguez is very familiar with.

The president of the Tri-City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce knows illegal immigrants are moving to states where they can find a job without worrying about anti-illegal immigrant laws.

"They come and say goodbye to me before they go," he said.

Rodriguez said immigrants are leaving Arizona and other states with tough laws for states that welcome them, such as Texas.

Arizona law prohibits businesses from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.

Rodriguez believes it will come back to haunt employers.

"When the economy comes back, they're going to be looking for workers and they aren't going to find them," he said.

Rodriguez estimates that he has lost about 50 family clients at his insurance business.

"It's a pretty good chunk of people that have left the area," he said.

Gary Hudder, president of the Yavapai County Contractors Association board of directors, said that to his knowledge, no members have suffered from the illegal immigrants departing the area at this time.

Hudder believes the slowdown in the construction sector has skewed the magnitude of the illegal immigrants departing the area.

"It's a situation where it's going to find its own level and it's going to sort itself out," he said.

Representatives of the local chambers said this week that their members do not have much to say on the issue.

"I think you're still a little early in the process," chief executive officer of the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce Ab Jackson said.

Prescott Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Dave Maurer said he is having a hard time judging the impact of the state's new anti-immigrant employment laws because business owners are not talking to him about it.

Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Marnie Uhl was unavailable for comment.

Rodriguez blames some businesses for using the slowing economy as an excuse to fire illegal immigrants and forcing them away.

Those employees are looking for full-time work, according to Rodriguez.

"It's other states that are welcoming that additional labor force," he said. "I'm trying to tell them to hang in there, but it's tough."

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