| Welcome to The Mountain. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Hazelton, Pa's fight begins; The illegal immigration fight.... | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 14 2007, 01:24 AM (382 Views) | |
| bsb006 | Mar 14 2007, 01:24 AM Post #1 |
|
Ruler of the Mountain
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Story here Posted on Tue, Mar. 13, 2007 Immigration trial Hazleton law’s legal test begins Language change in act heartening for plaintiffs By STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@timesleader.com SCRANTON – The plaintiffs in the Illegal Immigration Relief Act trial that began Monday claimed a partial victory after a lawyer for the city of Hazleton announced council would remove language the plaintiffs consider discriminatory. During opening arguments, attorney Kris W. Kobach said city council would vote Thursday to delete the words “solely or primarily” from a section of the Relief Act ordinance that spells out how members of the public can register complaints about someone they believe is an illegal immigrant living in the city. The plaintiffs have argued that the wording left room for people to base a complaint at least partially on national origin, race or ethnicity, which, they say, is illegal. “Hopefully, plaintiffs’ counsel will stop barking up this tree,” Kobach said. Cesar Perales, president of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, said the announcement was an admission that the ordinance was “defective.” The fund is one of the organizations suing the city. Another plaintiff, Anthony Romero, national director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the proposed amendment “doesn’t change the intent of the ordinance. It’s still un-American, still unfair and unconstitutional.” Kobach believes the city made major headway during cross-examinations of four plaintiffs. Their testimony, he said, shows they did not suffer “concrete injury” because of the ordinances and are basing the cause of their injuries on speculation. The trial, which is expected to last two weeks, continues today with additional witnesses expected to testify. Monday’s proceedings began at 9:05 a.m. with U.S. District Judge James Munley describing the purpose of the non-jury trial: to determine whether Hazleton’s illegal immigration ordinance and a related ordinance violate state law and/or are unconstitutional. The ordinance, first passed in June but blocked from enforcement with a temporary restraining order in October, would punish landlords and employers who rent to or employ illegal immigrants. Also at issue is a landlord-tenant ordinance that would require tenants to prove residency status. Attorneys state their cases During his opening, Vic Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, said the trial “is not a referendum on illegal immigration,” and that the only “relevant” question was whether the ordinances violate state law or the U.S. Constitution. He said the outcome of the case will determine whether other communities across the country will enact ordinances similar to the one put forth by Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta. Walczak characterized the situation as a “tale of two cities.” Barletta, he said, will talk about an increase in crime, overcrowded schools and emergency rooms, all of which he will blame on illegal aliens. The plaintiffs’ tale, Walczak said, will detail how the city’s population swelled from 22,000 in 2000 to more than 30,000 in 2006 after an influx of mostly Latinos from New York City. Kobach began his opening statement recounting the murder of Derek Kichline on May 10, 2006. The city contends that two illegal immigrants were responsible for that murder, and Kobach called it “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” leading Barletta to begin working on a way to address Hazleton’s problems with illegal immigrants. He described how the mayor met with school district and hospital officials and ordinary citizens to discuss problems they were facing that were caused by illegal immigrants in the city. He also noted Hazleton’s long history of welcoming legal immigrants, and said Barletta continued that tradition. Kobach said it will be proven that none of the plaintiffs has legal standing in the case and that the city’s ordinances do not preempt federal or state law, nor do they violate the plaintiffs’ due process. Plaintiffs testify Retired Hazleton ophthalmologist Dr. Agapito Lopez, a Latino community leader in Hazleton who helped the Hazleton Latino Task Force fight the ordinances, testified that Hazleton was “like a ghost city with lots of dilapidated buildings” and empty storefronts before an influx of mostly Latinos following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Lopez testified that many Latinos were leaving the city because of fear, and the exodus was one reason his friends and co-plaintiffs Jose and Rosa Lechuga and many other Latinos lost their businesses – because they lost their clientele. On cross-examination, Lopez testified that Barletta found a place for Latino children to play baseball, and his administration spent a half million dollars to revitalize a playground in a largely Latino neighborhood. Attorney Hank Mahoney, of Deasey, Mahoney and Bender – the firm hired by the city’s insurance company for the trial -- also asked if Lopez was aware that 30 new Latino-owned businesses opened in the city since the ordinances were passed; he said he did not. Jose Lechuga testified that he had to close his grocery store and restaurant after the ordinances were passed because he lost clientele. On cross-examination, Mahoney referred to Lechuga’s 2005 income tax returns, pointing out that Lechuga’s store was losing money in 2005. He also had Lechuga admit that he had not made a mortgage payment for a year by the time the ordinances were passed. Plaintiff Pedro Lozano testified he had trouble renting out apartments he owned after the ordinances were passed. He said his tenants moved out after he told them that they might have to provide documents to the city in order to continue renting. He also said that his wife’s friends were unable to rent properties after the ordinances were passed, but on cross-examination, Lozano said that some of the properties weren’t in the city and weren’t affected by the ordinance. Lozano also said on cross that he never advertised the apartments for rent in a newspaper, only with a “For Rent” sign affixed to the residence. He also said he didn’t know if people whom he showed the apartments to and told about the documentation requirement rented homes elsewhere in the city. Inside |
![]() |
|
| Toothless Dawg | Mar 14 2007, 07:45 AM Post #2 |
![]()
Ruler of the Mountain
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I would beg to differ with the ACLU. This amendment AND the intent of the ordinance IS Pro-American, Fair, and Constitutional. It is his clients who do not have constitutional privilege and are un-american, unfair, and ILLEGAL |
![]() |
|
| Almtnman | Mar 14 2007, 09:40 AM Post #3 |
![]()
Administrator
![]()
|
Just because Anthony Romero is the national director of the ACLU, that does not give him the authority to decide what's un-American and what's not. His organization(the ACLU) is about as un-American as it gets. Two organizations in America are worthless and needs to be banned from this country, they are the ACLU and the UN. Both of these organizations has did more damage to America than any other organization that I know of. |
![]() |
|
| Toothless Dawg | Mar 14 2007, 09:41 AM Post #4 |
![]()
Ruler of the Mountain
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Agreed 100% on both organizations!!! |
![]() |
|
| Culture Warrior | Mar 14 2007, 11:35 AM Post #5 |
|
an Angry American
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I'll second both of your motions. Talk about a couple of organizations that against American values - sheesh
|
![]() |
|
| bsb006 | Mar 14 2007, 11:51 AM Post #6 |
|
Ruler of the Mountain
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I agree with you both. Mayor Barletta is putting up a good fight... and it is paving the way for many surrounding towns who instituted the same policies after Hazelton did.
HMMM, maybe illegal aliens had to move somewhere else, and now he has to serve American citizens?
That's too bad.....not able to serve the the people without documents. My heart feels for them. The feeling is satisfaction. Now maybe he could fix up his apartments and rent them to American citizens. |
![]() |
|
| Neese | Mar 30 2007, 02:44 PM Post #7 |
|
Full Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Hazleton deserves a lot of credit. To have a small town stand up to the likes of the ACLU and others, is commendable. Our culture and our laws are being held hostage by special interest groups, and if we don't get it under control now, it will only get worse. |
![]() |
|
| Duke | Apr 21 2007, 11:24 PM Post #8 |
|
Duke
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I haven't heard anymore news on the battle yet, has anyone else? |
![]() |
|
| bsb006 | Apr 21 2007, 11:42 PM Post #9 |
|
Ruler of the Mountain
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Judge says there won't be a decision until late July. We still have some waiting time!! |
![]() |
|
| Duke | Apr 21 2007, 11:48 PM Post #10 |
|
Duke
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
bsb, Thanks and I hope you or someone will let us know. There will probably be some articles by someone as the court procedures continue. I'll keep a look out in the things I recieve from different groups, orgs., and .coms. It is a very important case that will affect us nationwide. Duke |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
![]() Join the millions that use us for their forum communities. Create your own forum today. Learn More · Register Now |
|
| « Previous Topic · Politics & Hot Topics · Next Topic » |





![]](http://z6.ifrm.com/static/1/pip_r.png)






