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iamme · Joined: 24 Jun 2006 Posts: 333 Location: TEXAS

http://www.pennlive.com/newsflash/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-41/1157139542245510.xml&storylist=penn

Hazleton agrees to delay immigrant crackdown law
9/1/2006, 5:16 p.m. ET
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM
The Associated Press

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — The city of Hazleton on Friday agreed to delay enforcing a law that targets illegal immigrants, a move framed by Hispanic activists and the ACLU as a temporary victory in their quest to have the crackdown declared unconstitutional.

Mayor Lou Barletta, who has championed the law, said the city agreed to the delay only because it is working on a replacement ordinance that he says will better stand up in court. "We're not enforcing it because we are in the midst of amending it," he said. "The amended ordnance will be even stronger and more defensible."

Hazleton, a city of about 31,000 residents, approved one of the toughest laws of its kind in the United States on July 13, imposing $1,000 fines on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants, denying business permits to companies that give them jobs and making English the city's official language

The American Civil Liberties Union and Hispanic groups sued to overturn the law on Aug. 15, contending that the Constitution gives the federal government exclusive power to regulate immigration and that the city's ordinance is discriminatory and unworkable. They believe the law will foster discrimination against Hispanics who came to the U.S. legally.

On Friday, Hazleton said it wouldn't enforce the measure. Enforcement was to begin Sept. 11. A replacement ordinance that clarifies some of the language in the original bill is expected to win City Council approval this month.

In return, the plaintiffs agreed not to seek an injunction against the city. U.S. District Judge James Munley, who is overseeing the lawsuit, approved the agreement.

"Hopefully, the legal protection we now have will give some comfort to the local immigrant community and calm their fears," said Witold J. Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania.

Under the agreement, Hazleton must give the plaintiffs at least 20 days' notice before it begins enforcing either the ordinance passed in July or its replacement — enough time for the ACLU to head back into court to try to stop it.

The ACLU, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, and other groups filed the lawsuit on behalf of 11 Hazleton residents and business owners and three nonprofit groups. Among the plaintiffs are landlords who say they lost tenants and a Mexican immigrant who says her grocery store and restaurant have fallen on hard times since the ordinance was passed.

It is not clear how many illegal immigrants live in Hazleton, about 80 miles northwest of Philadelphia, but the city's Hispanic population has soared in recent years. Barletta proposed the ordinance after two illegal immigrants were charged with shooting and killing a man. He has said the new law has already spurred many illegal immigrants to leave the city.

"The people behind this (legal) challenge thought this small city would be an easy target. On the contrary, we won't back down," Barletta said Friday.

Frustrated by inaction in Washington and inspired by the Hazleton crackdown, many local governments have passed their own measures to restrict or punish illegal immigrants and those who do business with them.

marcy · Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Posts: 93

I hope Hazelton Pa comes back with something the ACLU will not be able to attack. I really became concerned about 6 years ago about Illegal immigration. We have been moving about every 2 years due to my husbands job. I have lived and visited L.I. N.Y. N.J. VA Tx Tn Pa N.C. S.C. and driven threw states from New Jersey to Texas when we moved here almost 2 years ago. We watch areas of N.J. change, and not for the better. Seniors who lived in their apartments afraid to go outside because the apartments around them were full of ten-twenty(chaning all the time) Illegals hanging out making it uncomfortable for them, I watched local groceries turn into places where 20-30 men would be hanging out looking for work, blocking door ways just messing with you, speaking spanish, making a trip to a small grocery a horrible thing to do, so the small store closes up and the eldery who were able to walk to it to get milk or any little items lose a vital part of their life. I saw a area of a small downtown were people walked the streets window shopping, visting, turn into a place you didnt go alone, I watched the little shops close down, I saw groups and groups of men, who would yell things at you in Spanish destroy the downtown area, I drove my children from Tx to N.J. during the summer 1 year ago, what we experanced just made me realize even more what a problem the whole country is experancing. We stopped at a hotel in Va. Granted it was not a 4 star hotel, it still had a good rating in the triple A book. I was standing outside talking on my cell phone, my 15 yr old daughter was in one room and my sons were in the room next to it. We were on the second floor of the type of buildings that are open to the parking lot. I was standing by the stairway. I watched a man come out 2 doors down and start juggling the door nobs of the rooms he went by. I was getting worried and told the person I was taking to, he was looking threw the windows first, he came up to the room my daughter was in looked threw the window and started to try the door nob, I yelled, he came by me gave me the once over saw Iwas on the phone yelled something at me in Spanish and walked the other way. I told my kids to keep the dead bolts on the door and went to the office. Mind you I'm too tired to drive anymore, I had just driven 12 hrs and could not drive anymore.The manager said they would take care of it. This was a family place I watched families swimming in the pool as I spoke to the manager. A man showed up and knocked on that room door and went in to speak to them. We did not sleep that night, We got up to leave at 5 am, guess what their were trucks everywhere, Men, I dont know how many filing out of the hotel rooms jumping on the trucks, dayworkers. I only saw Men who appeared to be Mexican, I cant swear they were all Illegal but they surely were living in communities, becoming part of a neighborhood, I felt terrorized, in Va! My country, my U.S. the one my father and grand father fought for, I have many more experances like this, when you travel by car, you see alot. It was a wake up call. I dont care who I offend, I held my neighbor in N.J. who's husband was murdered on 911, Due to faliure to track who has over stayed visas, or who is here Illegaly. Put up a wall, Put landmines around it, and get Illegals out of my country and my life. Come here Legally and be my friend, my countryman, break my laws go to jail, Pa needs to beat the ACLU, we all need to watch the ACLU. Call me racist, I dont care, I will protect my country from invaders, I have the right to live here and walk the streets, Do You?

iamme · Joined: 24 Jun 2006 Posts: 333 Location: TEXAS