The lives of Arizonans and other Americans are poised to be devastated by the state’s new employer sanctions law aimed at immigrants, according to Tomas Bialet, director of the Latino Center in Cottonwood.

The lives of Arizonans and other Americans are poised to be devastated by the state’s new employer sanctions law aimed at immigrants, according to Tomas Bialet, director of the Latino Center in Cottonwood.

“If 50,000 immigrants leave because of the law, the effect will be that three times that amount, both legal and illegal, will leave the state.

“I have talked to business owners. They are very, very concerned,” Bialet said.

Bialet also publishes the El Latino newspaper, which is distributed in the Sedona and Phoenix areas.

“These people rent apartments, they rent and own houses, they buy cars, they have kids in school. Business owners will see their employee numbers reduced so much they will not be able to run them,” Bialet said. “Imagine just what it will do to Wal-Mart.”

A Sedona hospitality industry expert agrees.

Ralph Woellmer, who sits on the board of directors of the Sedona Lodging Council, owns the Matterhorn Inn, and is general manager of the Arroyo Roble Resort said, “The lodging and restaurant industry is woefully short of employees now. If the law goes into effect, in six weeks the economy will go into the toilet.”

Arizona’s law, scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2008, is being challenged by several plaintiffs including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Other plaintiffs include the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Farm Bureau Federation, Arizona Restaurant and Hospitality Association; Associated Minority Contractors of America, Arizona Roofing Contractors Association, National Roofing Contractors Association, and the Arizona Landscape Contractors Association, the ACCI confirmed.

The law provides that a business would face a 10-day suspension of its license the first time it knowingly hires an illegal immigrant. The second offense results in the revocation of the license.

Woellmer said, “All local business that I know of are complying with the law now.”

He said not enough of Arizona business got involved early on.

“We had our heads in the sand. We trusted that the legislature would use common sense but then they passed this law. We said, ‘Are you nuts?’” Woellmer said. “It doesn’t take Einstein to see what this will do to the economy. The inflation will be tremendous,” said Gabriela Gatto, a family counselor at the Latino Center in Cottonwood.

Bialet said even families who are legal residents are preparing to move out of the state.

“I can’t go door to door to tell them to cool down and not be afraid. That this won’t effect them,” Bialet said.

The Arizona Hospitality Research and Resource Center estimates nearly 8,000 workers in Sedona are employed by the hospitality industry.

Mike Cosentino can be reached at 282-7795, Ext. 128, or e-mail to mcosentino@larsonnewspapers.com