A new Web ad argues that an anti-illegal immigration ordinance in Riverside, N.J., worked so well it chased out businesses along with illegal aliens.

It's another take on the argument that U.S. businesses rely on illegal aliens — but in this instance, it's as consumers, not just as employees. The New York Times also chronicled the drop in business with two articles, one in July and one in September when the town ended its rule.

It's an intriguing line of argument, and one that's been kicked around before. What effect would a full-scale attrition-based immigration policy have on the hair salons and restaurants in immigrant-dominated communities across the nation? The ad appears to be targeted at Virginia, where localities and state lawmakers are considering the next step in trying to crack down on illegal immigration.

Still, the ad is misleading in one area: Riverside rescinded its ordinance because it didn't want to fight a lawsuit and only after a judge ruled against a similar ordinance enacted in a Pennsylvania town.

— Stephen Dinan, national political reporter, The Washington Times \

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