Arizona Law Will Impede Integration of Immigrants, Businesses Say

Hispanic Integration Hub
April 30, 2010

The signing of SB 1070 in Arizona threatens the ability of all Latinos—who comprise 30.1 percent of the Arizona population—to integrate into the state’s workforce and communities and is likely to stifle Latino entrepreneurship and socioeconomic mobility. Americas Society and Council of the Americas work nationally and in new gateway cities to promote Latino integration, and asked select participants in our Hispanic Integration Initiative to share their views on the economic effects of the law from a business perspective. Read some of their statements below, and Visit our Hispanic Integration Hub to learn more about AS/COA’s Hispanic integration work.

What Businesses are saying:

“What this [SB 1070] will do to the local community is to drive families, both legal and illegal out of the local communities and out of the state, leaving behind a wake of closed businesses and a devastated local economy.”
-Gary S. Furr, Chief Operations Officer, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.; Portland, Oregon.

“We are strongly opposed to legislation which may lead to racial profiling impeding minorities’ access to financial integration. It is our goal to help foster economic empowerment within these needy groups. Laws constraining citizenry to the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder are not compatible with our mission of economic inclusion.”
–Will Bienvenu, Vice President, ASI Federal Credit Union; New Orleans, Louisiana

“Arizona’s newly-passed legislation will have a negative impact not only on the ability of legal immigrants to move freely and exercise their rights in Arizona but will also impact businesses and enterprises that depend on the participation of immigrants as part of their labor force. In my view this law legitimizes racial profiling, and imperils the lawful movement of persons who for whatever reason might be perceived to be illegal immigrants, opening the door for abuse.”
-Luz Borrero, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, City of Atlanta, Office of the Mayor; Atlanta, Georgia

“The effect of the new laws implemented in Arizona will have a direct impact on the agricultural industry, mostly cotton and citrus as well as cattle. The incidence of community reactions across the nation, such as boycotts of sport teams, Arizona-made products, and more will also have a negative impact on Arizona’s economy.”
-Ramón L. Cisneros, President & CEO, Millennium Marketing, LLC

“The economic impact of a law like this will be devastating to say the least. The trickle-down effect of companies losing money due to reduced staffing levels from employees’ fear of showing up for work as well as people simply in fear of going out in public is unfathomable. Of course, the loss of basic human rights due to legalized racial profiling is in itself catastrophic.”
–Jim Timm, General Manager, Connoisseur Media; Omaha, Nebraska

As background, SB 1070 mandates law enforcement to determine the immigration status of a person “where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States.” This provision is likely to lead to racial profiling despite an executive order that requires additional police training on how to implement the law without engaging in racial profiling or discrimination. The bill also makes it illegal to transport somebody who may be unauthorized to be in the U.S. and builds on previous Arizona law punishing employers who may unknowingly employ undocumented workers.

To read more commentary on what the business implications are of Arizona’s recently passed SB 1070, Click here.

For more information on AS/COA’s Hispanic Integration Initiative or to request an interview with one of the program’s directors, email communications@as-coa.org or call (212) 277-8384.




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