New laws prompt Arizona church to close its day-labor center

New laws in the town of Cave Creek and in the state of Arizona have prompted a Cave Creek church to close its seven-year-old day labor center. The Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church had seen its center as a safe place for illegal laborers to hook up with employers.

Operations at the day-labor center ended in early January, and the 40 illegal workers who gathered are now seeking work elsewhere,

In September, the Cave Creek Town Council passed two laws, touting them as safety measures. One toughened the town's ban on loitering, and the other banned cars from stopping on town streets.

Also with the new year, an employer-sanctions law passed last year by the Arizona Legislature and signed by the governor took effect. The new law targets businesses that knowingly hire illegal workers.