Payson weighs migrant plan

The Associated Press
Published: 01.27.2007

Leaders in a northern Arizona town hope to discourage illegal immigrants from living in their community through a proposal that would strip employers and landlords of their business licenses if they hire or rent to such immigrants.

The proposal being drafted for the Payson Town Council represents one of the most advanced attempts by an Arizona municipality in recent years to confront illegal immigration.

Payson Mayor Bob Edwards said local employers complained that they followed the federal law requiring workers to be in the country legally while unscrupulous businesses benefited from the lower wages accepted by illegal immigrants.

"We want to make Payson the place not to come to if you aren't here legally," Edwards said. "We don't want to get ugly about it, but we want to send the message that enough is enough."