Arizona: Business as the Immigration Police

On Thursday, February 7, a federal judge upheld an Arizona law that effectively mandates that business owners serve as the immigration police.

As the Associated Press reported: “Businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants could face a business license suspension lasting up to 10 days under the new law. Second-time violators would have their business licenses permanently revoked. The law also requires businesses to use an otherwise voluntary federal database to verify the employment eligibility of new workers.”

The judge rejected arguments brought by several business groups that immigration policy is a federal matter – which, of course, it is. The groups plan to appeal.

The AP story also noted: “The law is intended to weaken the economic incentive for immigrants to sneak across the border and lessen Arizona's role as the busiest illegal gateway into the country. The Pew Hispanic Center estimates that illegal immigrants account for one in 10 workers in the Arizona economy.”

So, the law places additional burdens and penalties on businesses; mandates that businesses use an untested, flawed federal database; and directly intends to reduce the supply of labor for local businesses.

This and other misguided state and local laws make clear why comprehensive reform is needed at the federal level on immigration – action that both secures the border and secures our economy by expanding legal avenues for immigrants who simply seek economic opportunity and thereby contribute to the U.S. economy.

It is not the job of entrepreneurs and businesses to play immigration police. That’s the federal government’s job.