Can I Call Them Or What?
Not that this prediction was rocket surgery or anything. The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, among others, are joining together to sue the Pennsylvania city of Hazleton over it's strict anti-illegal immigrant law.
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania town that passed one of the toughest immigration laws in the United States this week overstepped its authority, said a civil-liberties group which announced plans on Friday to sue.
The city council of Hazleton, a former coal-mining town of some 31,000 people, late on Thursday passed a measure that will deny a business permit to anyone hiring illegal immigrants.
It also imposes a $1,000 fine on any landlord who rents to illegal immigrants, and establishes English as the town's official language.
The ordinance states that illegal immigration leads to higher crime rates, overcrowded classrooms and failing schools, imposes a financial burden on hospitals and reduces the quality of other public services in the town.
Hazleton boomed under a wave of Eastern European immigrants in the late 1800s, and has experienced a surge of Hispanic immigration in recent years.
The townspeople are suffering from "the debilitating effects on their economic and social well being imposed by the influx of illegal aliens," the regulation says, and the city has the authority to punish those who aid illegal aliens.
A coalition including the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, which represents U.S. Latinos on immigration issues, say they will sue Hazleton in federal court.
It would appear the group's strategy will be to argue that it is the Federal government's right to regulate immigration. That's interesting, the ACLU arguing for greater Federal government control? What I find somewhat disturbing is the involvement of the Puerto Rican group. They would be legal in the US since Puerto Rico is part of the US. Why are they in this? Why would they have standing in court?
Immigration Reform | Gaius Sunday, 16 July , 2006
By jpe, Sunday, 16 July , 2006 @ 8:44 am
They would be legal in the US since Puerto Rico is part of the US. Why are they in this?
Do you really think the average landlord in PA (or anywhere, for that matter) can tell the difference between a Puerto Rican and a Dominican or a Mexican? The obvious reply is that the landlord just asks for ID, right?
But if I’m a landlord, and I’m looking at either a lawsuit or criminal proceedings no matter what I do, I’m just avoiding the issue altogether. If any hispanic comes to look at an apartment, I’d just say the place is already rented.
By Gaius, Sunday, 16 July , 2006 @ 8:48 am
Disagree. If proper papers are presented, the landlord would be shielded from prosecution.
By TC@LeatherPenguin, Sunday, 16 July , 2006 @ 12:25 pm
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TC - I edited this out for language I won't allow in comments - I have done this before for a number of people, I'm not singling you out.