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Main Page Hispanics Flee Pennsylvania Town before Crackdown
(Click here to view the original thread on the MassCops Message Board)

Posted by: kwflatbed

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM
Associated Press Writer

Elvis Soto's variety store used to make money. But few customers have been walking through his door lately, and his merchandise - calling cards, cell phones, car stereos, clothing - is collecting dust on the shelves.
With bills mounting, Soto might have to take another job to stay afloat financially, and may even close the store.
On Wednesday, a tough, first-of-its-kind law targeting illegal immigrants goes into effect in this small hillside city in northeastern Pennsylvania. But the evidence suggests many Hispanics - illegal or otherwise - have already left.
That, in turn, has hobbled the city's Hispanic business district, where some shops have closed and others are struggling to stay open.
"Before, it was a nice place," said Soto, 27, who came to the United States from the Dominican Republic a decade ago. "Now, we have a war against us. I am legal but I feel the pressure also."
The ordinance, approved by City Council in September, imposes fines on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and denies business permits to companies that give them jobs. The law empowers the city to investigate written complaints about a person's immigration status, using a federal database.
Mayor Lou Barletta, chief proponent of the new law, contends illegal immigrants have brought drugs, crime and gangs, overwhelming police and municipal budgets. He announced the crackdown in June, a month after two illegal immigrants from the Dominican Republic were charged in a fatal shooting.
At Isabel's Gifts, owner Isabel Rubio said business is so bad that she and her husband have put their house up for sale, moved into an apartment above their store and started dipping into their savings.
"I am in a lot of stress right now," said Rubio, 50, a Colombian who moved to Hazleton 24 years ago. "Every day, we hope to have a good day."
Opponents sued on Monday to block the law and a companion measure, saying they trample on the federal government's exclusive power to regulate immigration.
"These ordinances are nothing more than an officially sanctioned witch hunt," said Cesar Perales, president of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, a group representing plaintiffs in the case. They include the Hazleton Hispanic Business Association, several illegal immigrants, landlords and a restaurateur.
The mayor said he would fight all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary, saying the ordinance is "as bulletproof as we can get it."
Hispanics began settling in large numbers in Hazleton several years ago, lured from New York, Philadelphia and other cities by cheap housing, low crime and the availability of work in nearby factories and farms. The city, situated 80 miles from Philadelphia, estimates its population has increased from 23,000 to 31,000 over the past six years, with Hispanics now representing 30 percent of the population.
No one knows how many of the new arrivals came to the United States illegally, but assimilating such a large number of people, many of whom speak little English, in such a short amount of time has been difficult.
Many white residents resent the newcomers, complaining about rising crime and overburdened schools. Tensions have flared over relatively minor annoyances such as loud music and double parking.
"You don't like the big-city stuff coming here," said insurance agent Vincent Santopoli, 49, a lifelong resident. "We're not used to it."
Barletta, who has risen from political obscurity to become a darling of anti-illegal immigration activists nationwide, said he sympathizes with struggling Hispanic business owners. But he said the fact their revenues are down is proof the city had a problem with illegal immigration.
"I've said from the beginning my goal was to make Hazleton one of the toughest cities in America for illegal aliens," he said. "Today, if I was an illegal alien, I certainly wouldn't pick Hazleton as my home."
Police Chief Bob Ferdinand said his officers appear to be responding to fewer calls. But on Oct. 20, a legal immigrant from the Dominican Republic was accused of shooting and killing two Hispanic men, one in the country illegally.
Todd Betterly, 37, who was awakened by the gunshots, said the killings are proof the crackdown is necessary.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to find out who belongs here and who doesn't," he said. "If we could have stopped one murder by knowing where these people are, isn't it worth it?"
A second ordinance going into effect Wednesday requires tenants to register their name, address and phone number at City Hall and pay $10 for a rental permit. Landlords who fail to make sure their tenants are registered can be fined $1,000, plus a penalty of $250 per tenant per day. The goal is to discourage illegal immigrants from even trying to rent in Hazleton.
A 32-year-old Mexican who slipped into the United States nine years ago to find work said he has no intention of registering.
"What is the mayor gaining by this law? I'm not a drug trafficker, I don't run around in gangs. I do my job and I go home to my family," said the married father of two, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of his immigration status.
Pennsylvania native Kim Lopez and her husband, Rudy, a Mexican immigrant, closed their grocery store Oct. 1 after business tailed off dramatically over the summer. They lost more than $10,000 - their life savings.
"Everyone was running scared and left town," said Lopez, 39. "We had customers who came in who were legal citizens and they didn't want the harassment and hassle and told us they were leaving."
___

On the Net:
Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund: http://www.prldef.org
City of Hazleton: http://www.hazletoncity.org
Hazleton's legal defense site: http://www.smalltowndefenders.com

Posted by: 94c

Last I heard they were heading for the border.

The Massachusetts one.

Posted by: justanotherparatrooper

What is the mayor gaining by this law? I'm not a drug trafficker, I don't run around in gangs. I do my job and I go home to my family," said the married father of two, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of his immigration status
YOUR A CRIMINAL, you violated the law....get your ass out of our country and if you still wanna live here follow the f'kn law!

Posted by: kwflatbed

Federal Judge Blocks Pa. Town Crackdown
Nov 01 9:58 AM US/Eastern

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the city of Hazleton from enforcing a pair of ordinances targeting illegal immigrants, just hours before the measures were to go into effect.

The measures, approved by City Council last month, would have imposed fines on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and denied business permits to companies that give them jobs. They also would have required tenants to register with City Hall and pay for a rental permit.

U.S. District Judge James Munley ruled that landlords, tenants and businesses that cater to Hispanics faced "irreparable harm" from the laws and issued a temporary restraining order blocking their enforcement.
"We find it in the public interest to protect residents' access to homes, education, jobs and businesses," he wrote in a 13-page opinion.
Hispanic groups and the ACLU sued Hazleton on Monday, contending that the laws trample on the federal government's exclusive power to regulate immigration.
The plaintiffs include the Hazleton Hispanic Business Association, landlords, a restaurateur and several illegal immigrants facing eviction, including children who attend public schools.
Mayor Lou Barletta, who spearheaded the crackdown, has argued that illegal immigrants have brought an increase in drugs, crime and gangs to the city. The city's lawyers on Tuesday cited a 10 percent increase in crime between 2004 and 2005 as a reason why the ordinances should be enforced.
Munley, however, wrote that the city "offers only vague generalizations about the crime allegedly caused by illegal immigrants, but has nothing concrete to back up these claims." The city also failed to provide statistics on the number of illegal immigrants living in Hazleton, he wrote.
Furthermore, Munley wrote, the plaintiffs have a "reasonable probability" of getting the laws declared unconstitutional.
Hazleton's crackdown, which was announced in June, has spurred other towns to pass similar laws. Municipal officials view the Hazleton lawsuit and a similar one in Riverside, N.J., as test cases.
Witold J. Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, hailed Tuesday's decision as an important victory.
"I think what's important is the judge recognized that this ordinance has the potential to cause real harm by costing people their jobs, their houses and requiring children to leave schools," he said.
The judge's restraining order expires Nov. 14. He indicated that he will schedule a hearing on the ACLU's motion for a temporary injunction.
Barletta said he is convinced the courts will ultimately uphold the law. He noted his lawyers had only a few hours to prepare for Tuesday's hearing and said he is confident they will "prove our right to defend and protect our citizens."
"I'm not discouraged. They may have delayed enforcement for now, but this too shall pass," Barletta said Tuesday. "We have only begun to fight."
___
On the Net:
Ruling: http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/gen/2...l20061031.html
City of Hazleton: http://www.hazletoncity.org/ Hazleton's legal defense site: http://www.smalltowndefenders.com/

Posted by: adroitcuffs

Ah, so the American Criminal Liberties Union strikes again!!!

U.S. District Judge James Munley ruled that landlords, tenants and businesses that cater to Hispanics faced "irreparable harm" from the laws and issued a temporary restraining order blocking their enforcement.
"We find it in the public interest to protect residents' access to homes, education, jobs and businesses," he wrote in a 13-page opinion.

The translation really should be that landlords, tenants, and businesses that cater to ILLEGALS faced irreperable harm...
Public interest? What about the public interest to abide by the L-A-W????

Grrrrrrr......

Posted by: SOT

I hear MS13 is setting up a remote base there.

This one kills me:
The city also failed to provide statistics on the number of illegal immigrants living in Hazleton, he wrote.

WTF are you supposed to do...drive down the street and yell IMMIGRACION! and count the people that run?

Posted by: 94c

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOT_II

I hear MS13 is setting up a remote base there.

This one kills me:
The city also failed to provide statistics on the number of illegal immigrants living in Hazleton, he wrote.

WTF are you supposed to do...drive down the street and yell IMMIGRACION! and count the people that run?

you could probably start with all the unregistered Toyotas

Posted by: Andy0921

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94c

you could probably start with all the unregistered Toyotas

So true

Posted by: DVET1979

I think the judge should be fired because he is allowing the law to be broken, a law which the federal government isnt enforcing. If the ACLU is suing Hazelton by saying it trampled on the federal government's power to regulate immigration- then the next time an illegal commits a crime against me or my family I am suing the federal government for gross negligence for refusing to enforce their own laws. By allowing this practice to continue they are in effect encouraging it to continue.

Posted by: CJIS

Frig that judge

Posted by: JoninNH

Frag that judge

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