Immigrant crackdown is challenged in Pa.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Hispanic activists and the ACLU sued Hazleton on Tuesday over one of the toughest crackdowns on illegal immigrants by a U.S. city.

Hazleton, a city of about 31,000 people 80 miles from Philadelphia, voted last month to fine landlords $1,000 for renting to illegal immigrants, deny business permits to companies that give them jobs, and make English the city's official language.

The Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund said the lawsuit is the first in the nation against a city that passed an illegal-immigration ordinance. The group and other plaintiffs contend that the Constitution gives the federal government exclusive power to regulate immigration and that the Hazleton ordinance is discriminatory and unworkable.

"It makes every person who looks or sounds foreign a suspect, including those who are here legally," Witold Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, said in a statement. "You might as well just paint a target on every foreigner's forehead or a sign saying, 'Please treat me differently.'"

Mayor Lou Barletta, who proposed the ordinance after two illegal immigrants were charged with shooting and killing a man, had no immediate comment.

Frustrated by inaction in Washington, many cities and states have passed their own measures to restrict or punish illegal immigrants and those who do business with them. Some local officials see the Hazleton lawsuit as a test of their ability to take immigration matters into their own hands.

The Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan agency that writes reports for lawmakers, said in a recent analysis that federal law probably precludes municipalities from enforcing such measures.

The Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, the ACLU 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, but the city's Hispanic population has soared in recent years.

story

[pedroh 21]

oh noes?

[Ladylethal 12]

I don´t get it, these peoplle are puerto ricans or the puerto ricans filed the lawsuit? `Cus puerto ricans are american citizens by birth.

[ursy 0]

I think they should be fined . Because if you aid in an illegal activity, it is a crime. Shall we sue people who fine drug dealers ????????????????????? No , because drugs are illegal. So, illegal aliens should be no different. Otherwise, there are plenty other laws we will have to disregard !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I don´t get it, these peoplle are puerto ricans or the puerto ricans filed the lawsuit? `Cus puerto ricans are american citizens by birth.

EXACTLY!!!!! #######?

This issue is not immigration it's about illegal immigration.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

oops, double post

Edited August 15, 2006 by LuckyStrike

[Heracles 417]

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Hispanic activists and the ACLU sued Hazleton on Tuesday over one of the toughest crackdowns on illegal immigrants by a U.S. city.

story

Why am I not surprised the ACLU is involved. Yet people blame the government for all of the poverty, which will never disappear with all of the illegal immigrants entering the country and working for nothing..

[desert_fox 32]

glad to see at some level, someone is taking action to enforce our immigration laws that the feds are unwilling/unable to do.

[pedroh 21]

ay la tristeza?

[choji 0]

"It makes every person who looks or sounds foreign a suspect, including those who are here legally," Witold Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, said in a statement. "You might as well just paint a target on every foreigner's forehead or a sign saying, 'Please treat me differently.'"

story

A few hundred years ago this was called witch hunt.

Welcome to medieval times. Bring out the stakes and build the fires.

Only it will not be any longer "I saw her/him talk to a black cat" or "he/she has a wart on the nose". It will be "he/she has an accent" or "his/her eyes/skin are not round/is not white".

I am all for orderly and against illigal immigration. However, from ordinances like this to openly hunting down people in the street it is only a small step.

A step easily taken. Frighteningly enough, the lower he level of education, the faster. Bad luck, if after the fact the "foreigner" turns out to have been a US citizen or a legal residen, just one not with a lily white skin/run of the mill blue eyes/an accent (take your pick, there is more).

[ursy 0]

"It makes every person who looks or sounds foreign a suspect, including those who are here legally," Witold Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, said in a statement. "You might as well just paint a target on every foreigner's forehead or a sign saying, 'Please treat me differently.'"

story

A few hundred years ago this was called witch hunt.

Welcome to medieval times. Bring out the stakes and build the fires.

Only it will not be any longer "I saw her/him talk to a black cat" or "he/she has a wart on the nose". It will be "he/she has an accent" or "his/her eyes/skin are not round/is not white".

I am all for orderly and against illigal immigration. However, from ordinances like this to openly hunting down people in the street it is only a small step.

A step easily taken. Frighteningly enough, the lower he level of education, the faster. Bad luck, if after the fact the "foreigner" turns out to have been a US citizen or a legal residen, just one not with a lily white skin/run of the mill blue eyes/an accent (take your pick, there is more).

Witch Hunt?????????????????? For your information those so called "Witch Hunt" was not based on the our current US laws. Are you trying to say that those of us involved in law enforcement are equivalent to Colonial witch hunts . I think criminals really like people who supports them with inaccurate information. Hey, because of slavery lets pardoned all blacks who commit crimes.................. Also since the pilgrims did not have file papers lets just let all immigrants get the same rights ................legal and the illegal. One more thing women are treated real poorly around the world therefore the USA does not need female prisons. These laws take us back in time.....................

"It makes every person who looks or sounds foreign a suspect, including those who are here legally," Witold Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, said in a statement. "You might as well just paint a target on every foreigner's forehead or a sign saying, 'Please treat me differently.'"

story

A few hundred years ago this was called witch hunt.

Welcome to medieval times. Bring out the stakes and build the fires.

Only it will not be any longer "I saw her/him talk to a black cat" or "he/she has a wart on the nose". It will be "he/she has an accent" or "his/her eyes/skin are not round/is not white".

I am all for orderly and against illigal immigration. However, from ordinances like this to openly hunting down people in the street it is only a small step.

A step easily taken. Frighteningly enough, the lower he level of education, the faster. Bad luck, if after the fact the "foreigner" turns out to have been a US citizen or a legal residen, just one not with a lily white skin/run of the mill blue eyes/an accent (take your pick, there is more).

Witch Hunt?????????????????? For your information those so called "Witch HuntS" were not based on our current US laws. Are you trying to say that those of us involved in law enforcement are equivalent to Colonial witch hunts . Are we not suppossed to go after the law breakers. All law breakers ,including ILLEGAL immigrants. I think criminals are applauding .... they really like people who supports them with inaccurate information. Hey,I got a grand idea ................ because of slavery lets pardoned all blacks who commit crimes.................. Also since the pilgrims did not have file papers lets just let all immigrants get the same rights ................legal and the illegal. One more thing .....women are treated real poorly around the world therefore the USA does not need female prisons. These laws take us back in time..................... THE MEDIEVAL TIME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 000000000HHHHHHHH

[choji 0]

"It makes every person who looks or sounds foreign a suspect, including those who are here legally," Witold Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, said in a statement. "You might as well just paint a target on every foreigner's forehead or a sign saying, 'Please treat me differently.'"

story

A few hundred years ago this was called witch hunt.

Welcome to medieval times. Bring out the stakes and build the fires.

Only it will not be any longer "I saw her/him talk to a black cat" or "he/she has a wart on the nose". It will be "he/she has an accent" or "his/her eyes/skin are not round/is not white".

I am all for orderly and against illigal immigration. However, from ordinances like this to openly hunting down people in the street it is only a small step.

A step easily taken. Frighteningly enough, the lower he level of education, the faster. Bad luck, if after the fact the "foreigner" turns out to have been a US citizen or a legal residen, just one not with a lily white skin/run of the mill blue eyes/an accent (take your pick, there is more).

Witch Hunt?????????????????? For your information those so called "Witch Hunt" was not based on the our current US laws. Are you trying to say that those of us involved in law enforcement are equivalent to Colonial witch hunts . I think criminals really like people who supports them with inaccurate information. Hey, because of slavery lets pardoned all blacks who commit crimes.................. Also since the pilgrims did not have file papers lets just let all immigrants get the same rights ................legal and the illegal. One more thing women are treated real poorly around the world therefore the USA does not need female prisons. These laws take us back in time.....................

And once again:

It makes every person who looks or sounds foreign a suspect, including those who are here legally

This is the key sentence, and yes, that is the consequence resulting out of any ordinance passed like the one this article is all about.

And that results in witch hunting.

Everything else written on your part I regard as written in haste. I don't even take offence - you got carried away. Which is quite understandable with a topic like this.

[ursy 0]

What is wrong with demanding to see papers or proof from landlords, after all .................. an officer can stop a legal immigrant and US citizens who is driving for proof of insurance and registration. If we don't have it............WE GET A FINE(better known as a ticket) . So all law breakers including people who knowingly aid others should get equal treatment under the same law. Are you suggesting "Sympathy " for illegals

[Mirorgate 0]

And once again:

It makes every person who looks or sounds foreign a suspect, including those who are here legally

This is the key sentence, and yes, that is the consequence resulting out of any ordinance passed like the one this article is all about.

And that results in witch hunting.

Everything else written on your part I regard as written in haste. I don't even take offence - you got carried away. Which is quite understandable with a topic like this.

thas a BS cop out. subjective and without proof. another case of "he said/she said" and not provable. sure i'll grant that some will be profiled... but EVERY person? please... lets make a mountain out of a mole hill and call it good.. m'kay

[samir_shannon 0]

its not fair that illegal immigrants come here and get all the benefits of america while we sit back and wait for months and months sometimes years to do everything legally.