Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Undocumented Fleeing Az for Texas

All this Bull about enforcement not working?
That its impossible to deport illegals is sure not being covered by major news outlets.
Funny why that is.

Most of illegal immigration opponents like myself have stated this clearly.
If you ENFORCE the laws, and make it harder for illegals to get jobs, get housing, and free education then watch as they all leave willingly. You won't need a single deportation bus.

Now we see how true that is:

Undocumented immigrants are coming into Texas, but not from where one might think.

The rush is coming from Arizona, Oklahoma and other states, places that recently passed tough anti immigrant laws.
The two toughest measures are in Arizona and Oklahoma.

Effective January 1, the Arizona law suspended the business license of employers who knowingly hire undocumented immigrants. On a second offense, the license is revoked.

The Oklahoma statute, which took effect in November, makes it a crime to transport, harbor or hire undocumented immigrants.
Anecdotal information seems to indicate undocumented immigrants are leaving these states in growing numbers.

"They're really tightening the screws," said Mario Ortiz, an undocumented Mexican worker who came to Houston after leaving Phoenix last year." There have been a lot coming. It could be 100 a day."

In Tulsa, Okla., the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has estimated 15,000 to 25,000 undocumented immigrants have left the area. One builder estimated 30 percent of the Hispanic work force left Tulsa.

"There's been a tremendous impact in Oklahoma City," said David Castillo, the executive director of the Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "We've had several companies close shop and leave the state. Banks have called us and say they're closing 30 accounts per week."

Enrique Hubbard, Mexico's consul general in Dallas, said a dozen Mexican families from Oklahoma have applied for consular documents listing their new homes in the Dallas area.

Texas' reputation as a welcoming destination has experts predicting more immigrants will come to Houston and other cities in the state. Texas has not passed a state wide law targeting the employment of undocumented immigrants.

"Texas is still very much an entrepreneurial place where you can find your place in this economy," said James Hollifield, a Southern Methodist University professor and migration expert.

Ortiz, a native of he southern Mexican state of Tabasco, said he left Phoenix eight months ago after working 60 to 70 hours a week at a plant nursery. While now he can only pick up two to three days a week of yard work and barely earns enough to send back to his family, he prefers Texas to Arizona.

"Here, they let you work. Over there, they won't. There is a lot of racism, but here there isn't - it's better," Ortiz said of Houston.


And the issue has NOTHING to do with racism.
But with the damn LAW!

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