Sanctions law violator likely won't be named

By Howard Fischer

CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES

PHOENIX — It doesn't look like Arizonans are going to find out the name of a business owner who admits in a sworn statement to hiring undocumented workers.

U.S. District Judge Neil Wake said Friday that foes of the state's new employer sanctions law may no longer need to prove someone actually will be harmed if the law remains in effect to pursue their legal challenge to the statute.

That would allow the business groups, who got one of their members to submit an affidavit admitting to hiring undocumented workers, to withdraw their admission. That, in turn, would kill efforts by state Solicitor General Mary O'Grady to make public the name of the company and its owner.

The business owner, who currently remains anonymous, filed an affidavit in federal court saying he was employing people not in this country legally last year when the lawsuit was filed. In the affidavit, he said he intended to continue to employ undocumented workers even with the new state law that took effect Jan. 1. That law allows a judge to suspend or revoke any state licenses of firms that knowingly hire undocumented workers.