Thread: Arizona-style Migrant Law Would Hurt Florida Economy

Arizona-style Migrant Law Would Hurt Florida Economy, Group Says

Published April 05, 2011

Miami – The Florida Immigrant Coalition is afraid that a law as tough as Arizona's SB1070 - or even tougher - would plunge the state into a severe economic recession since the area depends so much on Hispanic investment, labor and spending.

Subhash Kateel, coordinator of FLIC's "Somos Florida/We Are Florida" campaign, said in an interview with Efe that these three sectors have saved the state from "full recession."

"If some part of that delicate balance is altered, the whole state would be at risk," the co-founder and co-Director of Families for Freedom, a group dedicated to defending immigrants in the process of being deported, said.

A dozen immigration bills have been introduced into the state legislature, but apparently only two have a chance of reaching the floor: HB7089 and SB2040.

The first is an initiative of Republican Rep. William Snyder that would give police the authority to investigate the immigration status of people taken into custody if there is a reasonable suspicion of their being undocumented.

It also requires private companies to use the federal program E-Verify to check on the legal status of their workers.

The state Senate Judiciary Committee was due Monday to take up SB2040, sponsored by GOP Sen. Anitere Flores, a Cuban-American.

Flores toned down the original version by not demanding the use of E-Verify for new workers who can present a current ID such as a passport or a driver's license.

But it does maintain the provision that all sheriff's departments in the state must establish agreements with the Department of Homeland Security to implement program 287 (g) to detain foreigners with a criminal record, and that all police departments must participate in the Secure Communities program to verify the immigration status of those under arrest.

If these bills are passed, FLIC said that "it would increase racial discrimination."

"In reality it will have the same impact that it had in Arizona and would create the same kind of situations, if not worse, in Florida, because the police in every county would have the same powers as immigration agents to ask people to show their papers at any time," Kateel said.

Esteban Bovo, who recently resigned his seat in Florida's lower house and his chairmanship of the Florida Hispanic Legislative Caucus, told Efe that while the bills "are nothing like the Arizona law," they are unnecessary and potentially harmful.

"If they pass, they won't be anything like the one in Arizona. But they'll leave a bad taste and will send the wrong message from a state that lives on international trade," he said.

With regard to the economic impact, FLIC's Kateel said that more Hispanics leaving Florida will mean more homes in foreclosure, fewer tourists on the beaches and fewer shoppers in the malls.

If all undocumented aliens were deported from Florida, the state would lose activities that contribute $43 billion to the economy, along with 262,436 jobs, according to the Perryman Group report.

Tourism, which poured $60.9 billion into the state economy in 2009, is another area that would be hit by an "anti-immigrant law," Kateel said.

Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina accounted for 1.7 million tourists who visited Florida in 2009, according to official figures from Visit Florida.

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politi ... z1IgaN6K1T

That's funny because the Center for Immigration Studies says the cost of illegal aliens to the state of Florida is $5.5 billion dollars a year!

The Florida Immigrant Coalition is afraid that a law as tough as Arizona's SB1070 - or even tougher - would plunge the state into a severe economic recession since the area depends so much on Hispanic investment, labor and spending.

Gee I didn't realize that only "hispanics" invest, labor and spend in Florida!

If all undocumented aliens were deported from Florida, the state would lose activities that contribute $43 billion to the economy, along with 262,436 jobs, according to the Perryman Group report.

What "activities" would that be, hmmm? Federal funds which come from taxpayers, that are supposed to be for LEGAL residents? 262,436 lost jobs? LMAO I sincerely doubt it, those jobs would go to LEGAL residents.

Tourism, which poured $60.9 billion into the state economy in 2009, is another area that would be hit by an "anti-immigrant law," Kateel said.

Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina accounted for 1.7 million tourists who visited Florida in 2009, according to official figures from Visit Florida.

This is the most laughable yet, Tourists don't give a rats a$$ about illegal aliens. Most people don't go to Florida to see the illegal aliens. But then again, why would anyone want to go where illegal aliens are running amuck??

Pull the other one.

Illegal Aliens slinging Machete's hurts the Florida economy along with the crime wave that comes with them

Illegal Alien anchor babys has our scools formerly known as schools close to insolvency because the state is broke and on line to collapse along side California

Florida is paying out record welfare to Illegal Aliens and UNEMPLOYMENT BENIFITS to Illegal Aliens

so dont let the door hit'm in the backside as they flock to your state ... I'm tired of paying for Americans to lose more jobs by allowing Illegal Aliens to stay

come on fl you Have to be Tough it you state it not Mexico you want to pay for every thing wake the hell up & don't rent to them
don't give them jobs . No food stamps . & they will go home
why they hav eour country one hell, of a mess
who Is the mayor of your town . tell them you want the illegal immigrant out . you have every right . it your country . No Mexico
so get tough
No Amnesty

Funny how this country did just fine without millions of illegals

In fact we did far better

It will hurt the pockets of the dirtbag corporations and filthy politicians.

"Seems like we're the joke of the neighborhood!"
"No taxation without representation!"
Stop giving our tax money to illegals!

Originally Posted by stevetheroofer

"Seems like we're the joke of the neighborhood!"
"No taxation without representation!"
Stop giving our tax money to illegals!

But the illegals have all kinds of representation

We are the ones that don't

I live in South Fl and have been out of work since April 2 of last year-and maybe if it hadn't been for all the "bilingual required" jobs in my area, I would have been employed already. Illegals sure aren't saving ME any money by their being in my state!