Appeals Court to Hear Hazleton Immigration Relief Act (WNEP-TV; with video link)

By Bob Reynolds

The city of Hazleton will once again be the focal point of a national debate over a crack-down on illegal immigration.

An appeals court will hear Hazleton's proposed ordinance that would make it against the law to hire or rent to illegal immigrants. The same ordinance that a lower court ruled unconstitutional last summer.

Other communities all over the country are watching this case very closely.

Officials said the problem of illegal immigrants living in Hazleton is not getting better.

"We continue to have a severe immigration problem here and again there were just two more arrested over the weekend," said Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta.

Hazleton's Immigration Relief Act, a crack-down on illegal immigrants living in the city, was initially ruled unconstitutional last year. In in a conference call Monday in the mayor's office, attorneys said the tide is turning in other parts of the nation.

Already federal judges have approved parts of what Hazleton wants in Arizona and a community in Missouri.

"Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff specifically praised the efforts of cities and states to help the federal governments enforcement of immigration laws. He didn't mention Hazleton by name but it's pretty clear he was referring to these cases and these ordinances," said attorney Kris Kobach.

The city wants to punish landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and those who hire them.

City officials said their appeal to a higher court will be heard in October and if they fail there, they will go to the U.S. Supreme Court, something opponents are ready for.

"More than 100 cities that are awaiting a decision on Hazleton in order to take their ordinances off the table and enforce them," said Dr. Agapito Lopez of Hazleton.

Some said Hazleton's efforts to rid itself of illegal immigrants could affect how our nation handles the situation.

http://www.wnep.com/Global/story.asp?S=8972728