Ala. Immigration Law Hurting Hispanic Businesses

Guadalupe Pineda stocked shelves at his latino grocery store in Foley. But there's less than a month until Alabama's strict immigration law is supposed to take effect, and business has never been worse.

"Before it was good," said Pineda, owner of La Michoacana. "Then the law came, and people started leaving to other countries or changing states."

Alabama's new law is described as one of the toughest in the state. It would let police detain people suspected of being in the country illegally - if they are arrested on a separate offense.

Pineda has been in business in Foley since 2006, but says if things get any worse, he'll have to close his doors. "We're all scared. Even though we are all legal in this country, our business is hispanic. And without hispanics, there is no business."

Money is tight at La Michoacana, but at least their doors are still open. Just down the street, the mexican grocery store Tienda San Francisco just went out of business yesterday.

"My brother says sales have decreased a lot, so they can't pay rent," said Andalucio Huaraco." Huaraco just moved from Mexico two weeks ago, and is helping his brother pack up the family store, Tienda San Francisco. He says sales have decreased sixty percent since Bentley signed the law in June.

"The law is nearing its start date, so many are leaving, and others are waiting to see what happens," said Huaraco.

Hispanic business owners say their illegal customers would rather leave now on their own terms, then deal with police later on.

Alabama's hispanic population grew 145 percent in the last ten years. That's the second-largest growth rate in the country. With the rapidly increasing population, its hard to know exactly how many latinos live here. But the US Census estimates about 185-thousand.

[ALL QUOTATIONS IN THIS ARTICLE HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH TO ENGLISH]