A new immigration law in Alabama that is intended to remove illegal workers from jobs is also affecting legal Hispanic workers. Many workers in the construction and agriculture industries, who have friends and families without papers are laving as well. Estimates of how many people have left the state range up to one-fourth of the commercial building work force. Lawmakers say that they law was designed to open jobs up for legal residents, and that short-term problems were expected. The law allows police to detain those suspected of being in the country illegally indefinitely, and requires schools to check the immigration status of children when they enroll in school. Parts of the law have been blocked by a federal judge who is reviewing them
See "As new immigration law in Alabama takes effect, construction and farm workers flee", Jay Reeves and Dave Martin, The Washington Post, October 5, 2011