Group Shuts Down Day Labor Center

Groups demanding a crackdown on illegal immigrants gathered before dawn today at a north Phoenix day laborers center, and shut it down on the eve of the day Arizona's new employers sanctions law takes effect.

The center's operator, Salvadore Reza, told the few days laborers who were there to go home. That triggered a shouting match between Reza and the demonstrators, led by a group called United for a Sovereign America.

``Merry Christmas, Happy New Year," Reza yelled at the demonstrators who yelled back ``We love America, and Happy New Year to you, Buddy."

Rick Galeener, with United for a Sovereign America, said the demonstrators would stay at the day labor center, near 25th Street and Bell Road.

``He (Reza) wished us a Happy New Year, we wished him a Happy New Year. But, we're going to stay here to let the contractors who driev by know that they are not supposed to be picking up illegals," Galeener said.

Galeener said the day laborers center ``is operating under a permit that's expired. It's not supposed to be here and we want to see it shut down."

He said his group would take pictures of anyone who picked up day laborers for work.

``We're going to photograph them and the photographs are all going to go to the sheriff's department and the county attorney's office for evidence," Galeener added.

He said the city of Phoenix has given sanctuary to illegal workers at the day labor center and has provided the illegal enterprise with presidential treatment over Pruitts Furniture, the scene of weekly protests led by Reza the past two months. Galeener said his group plans to disrupt activities at the day laborers center until the Pruitts protests -- which began when owner Mike Sensing asked sheriff's deputies to crack down on day laborers gathering outside his store -- are discontinued.

Sensing said he had no role in the demonstrations at Reza's day laborers center.

``Everybody, as we've cerntainly learned, has a right to stand outside and let their voice be heard," Sensing said. ``We're not encouraging anybody to go out and protest or speak on our behalf. We've certainly had enough protests in the last eight weeks, I don't even care to hear the word anymore."

Meanwhile, day laborers are bracing for the effects of the employer sanctions law, which imposes tough penalties -- including possible loss of business licenses -- for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

``My family needs to eat and there's no money, so I must work," one man said through an interpreter. He said he is in the United States only to work ``not to harm anyone."

The man said he has a passport and has tried to meet requirements to legally stay in the United States, but that procedure is expensive and almost impossible.

``We come to earn an honest living, everyone should know that. We want an opportunity to show that we come to this country only to work."

Supporters of employer sanctions are anxious for the law to take effect.

``The spotlight is on Phoenix and we're number one for the most illegals," said Michaeele Dallacroce, founder of Mothers Against Illegal Aliens. ``Basically, they come through Arizona to get to every other state. so if we can stop this, we'll be helping the rest of the country."

Dallacroce said the early exit of some illegal immigrants back to Mexico is proof the law already is having an effect.

Meanwhile, State Sen. Amanda Aguirre, D-Yuma, said the new law impacted the state economy long before it took effect.

``In particular, with Hispanic families, some of them leaving the state, I think we've already felt the shortage in labor all the way from the hotel industry to farm labor, certainly here in Yuma," said Aguirre, who said she voted for the employer sanctions law because she believed it would apply only to new hires.

She added, ``In Yuma, the economy is based on agriculture and that's going to be affected the most."

Aguirre said there are indicating many workers have left the state, even though they may be legal workers.

``Families have left. some districts are reporting a lower enrollment of children in schools, so I think it's already happening all over the state," she said.