JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. _ Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation Monday that creates new restrictions on illegal immigrants and new requirements for businesses that employ them.

Blunt said the new law puts Missouri 'on the vanguard' of states working to crack down on illegal immigration.

Missouri lawmakers included many relatively non-controversial provisions while splitting the difference on more contentious points, such as what to do about the businesses that employ illegal immigrants. Lawmakers passed the bill on the final day of their annual session under a threat from Blunt that he would call a special session if no bill were passed.

Blunt said Monday that it's important to go after 'people who flout the law' because 'it undermines the rule of law, which is one of the reasons that immigrants flocked to this country in the first place.' ...