Thread: Panel slams Hazelton illegal immigration law

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Panel slams illegal immigration law
Wednesday, 04 October 2006
By L.A. TARONE
tarone@standardspeaker.com
WILKES-BARRE — Hazleton’s Illegal Immigration Relief Act was a major topic of discussion at an immigration forum at King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, Tuesday night. And the panel assembled to discuss the issue roundly criticized it.

The crowd of about 150 was overwhelmingly sympathetic to the panel’s opinions. Most of the approximately 15 who spoke or asked questions criticized the ordinance and Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, who first proposed it.

Just one person, a legal Mexican immigrant, openly endorsed the IIRA and two others said they supported a toughening of American immigration law.

The panel included Alma Josefina Arias, an El Salvador native who works as a legal assistant for a Wilkes-Barre law firm who’s also worked with St. Gabriel’s Church in Hazleton and several Latino groups; Tomas Garcia, a Puerto Rico native who is a pharmaceutical technician for Caremark, Wilkes-Barre; Stephen A. Glassman, chair of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission; Alejandra Moroquin, a Guatemala native who is a pastoral associate for the Hispanic Ministry of Nativity of Our Lord parish, Wilkes-Barre; Jorge Coronel, president of Coronel Management Group who also works with the Hispanic Resources Network; and attorney Michael Zanicky of the suburban Philadelphia Zanicky and Weisbein law firm.

King’s President the Rev. Thomas O’Hara opened the forum by saying immigration was an important issue but not a new one.

“We are a nation of people who came from elsewhere,” O’Hara said. “And a liberal arts institution is the perfect place to discuss it openly.”

He then turned chairmanship of the forum to Monsignor Joseph Kelly, executive director of Diocesan Catholic Social Services and coordinator of the Scranton Diocese Hispanic Ministry, who moderated.

Glassman noted that IIRA-like ordinances are “exploding across the commonwealth,” which he termed “very disturbing and dangerous.” He said immigration was a federal issue and municipalities had no right to regulate it, adding such ordinances were “over-reaching” and were “not only wrong-headed, but illegal.”

Glassman – who during the question-and-answer period said the U.S. was “infected with racism,” that institutionalized racism “permeated” the country and that the U.S. couldn’t “merely get rid of slavery is a couple of hundred years – claimed PHRC was party to the suit filed against IIRA. He said the commission was confident of winning.

Glassman also took on what he termed “English-only” laws such as Hazleton’s.

Noting that Pennsylvania laws used to be printed in both English and German during the 18th and 19th centuries, he said official English laws ran contrary to the commonwealth’s “multi-lingual principles.” Again, he claimed they were race-based and targeted at Spanish speakers.

“Unfortunately, primarily Hispanics are the ones being vilified, with epithets thrown at them in places like Hazleton,” Glassman said, though he did not discuss any specific incident.

Zanicky said there was a problem with immigration law in the U.S., but added he believed Barletta used a “hatchet” instead of a “scalpel.” He said he supported the “comprehensive package” the U.S. Senate passed, but the House did not act on, and claimed the Hazleton ordinance grew out of political frustration.

Noting the big pro-immigration rallies last spring, he said they were organized with help from the Democratic Party in an effort to use immigration as an issue, adding Democrats were looking for an edge because President Bush had been “so pro-immigration.”

But he said the rallies “backfired” and “mobilized draconian ideas,” such as the IIRA.

Kelly then opened up the floor to questions. Most came from the perspective of opposing Hazleton’s IIRA and supporting a more conciliatory national immigration policy.

A woman asked whether skinheads had moved to Hazleton and “joined (Barletta) in this ethnic cleansing.”

Glassman said he wouldn’t accuse any office holder of being involved with a hate group and added he couldn’t address Hazleton specifically. But he said Pennsylvania was home to more “national hate groups’” than any other state.

Another man said the IIRA and other efforts to toughen immigration law were nothing but a “smokescreen for racism.” Glassman basically agreed, though Zanicky did not. He said he thought immigration law was “class-based” rather than race-based.

Another woman asked whether there’d been a mass exodus from Hazleton. No one had a definitive answer, though city authorities have speculated that perhaps 1,000 people had left town since the IIRA’s passage.

Coronel said, however that Scranton was “capitalizing like you wouldn’t believe” on what he believed were Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre’s shortcomings in embracing Hispanics.

However, Arias said she did not notice a decline in the number of Latinos buying homes in Hazleton and saw no decrease in her caseload.

In response to a question from O’Hara, she said she would still recommend the area as a destination. She called it a wonderful place to live, adding it was a “much better environment” for kids than New York City.

“And Barletta won’t be there forever,” she said as most in the crowd laughed. “And that will help every living thing.”

But one man who said he’d emigrated from Mexico blasted the panel. He said he was “sick of people turning immigration into racism.”

“When in Rome, you do as the Romans do,” he said. “If you’re here illegally, go home.”

A woman said she thought the panel hoped to “help illegal immigration,” adding immigration from Mexico had become a great concern to that country.

“They have farm fields that aren’t being plowed because there is nothing left but old men,” she said.
And another man noted the terrorist attack on Sept. 11.

“All these other things are important, but security is more important,” he said. “We’ve got to secure our borders.”

After the forum concluded, a woman who declined to give her name told a Standard-Speaker photographer she wished the panel had been “more balanced.”

I would like to know where it says that because America is a country of immigrants, that means we have to take in the whole darn world? Why us? The liberals are actively trying to destroy our country and trying to use the race card to whip us in line. I am so sick of this.

After the forum concluded, a woman who declined to give her name told a Standard-Speaker photographer she wished the panel had been “more balanced.”

Isn't that the truth? Look at the list of people there. What a bunch of bleeding heart talk. This isn't about racism, it's about our sold-out corrupt politicians in the federal government that won't do the job they're suppose to. Consequently communities are trying to do something. There are people here illegally! Laws broken! Towns across this country are trying to do something to stop the financial drain (oh, excuse me, businesses wouldn't agree). Amazes me how people can say it is ok to break our laws.
If the lamestream media would get on board and report what is really happening to many border state cities they'd shut up. But they aren't allowed are they?

an immigration forum at King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, Tuesday night. And the panel assembled to discuss the issue roundly criticized it.

Ah Ha! They started these forums about 5 years ago. We went to one of the first ones held in NJ at the community college and it was truly a horrible, set up, lib controlled event.

If they could, they would have driven me out on a rail. Too bad the community {countywide} that did attend stood behind me 100%. It was a lesson in manipulation and doctored stats by Academia.

NEWTON, NJ is where it was held and look at the cowards backing down now from new Enforcement ordinances! Newton's back in the headlines again.

This wasnt a DEBATE, it was a RELIGIOUS EVENT. CAnnonizing illegal aliens. Libs and the Catholic Church. Any wonder?


Look at who voted against the fence:

Mainly 3or 4 Jews, 3 or 4 Irish Catholics, 3 Latinos, and 2 Asians. A few single religions 1 mormon, 1 episcopal, 1 OTHER etc, but all others were from specific demographic groups.

Kennedy actually DIDNT VOTE!

All this stuff is great, but we really neeed to close down the open blog for a few days a month for ACTIVISM ONLY DAYS or even a WEEK. We need to be active, we need to help RANDY GRAFF and if there was nothing else to do we could influence the election....moreso.....

“We are a nation of people who came from elsewhere,” O’Hara said. “And a liberal arts institution is the perfect place to discuss it openly.”

We are also a nation of laws, so should we just allow a certain group of people the right to thumb their noses at those same laws just because they don't agree with them or because big business CEO's want to profit by employing slave labor and the expense of us? If they came here legally we wouldn't be having this discussion.

“Unfortunately, primarily Hispanics are the ones being vilified, with epithets thrown at them in places like Hazleton,” Glassman said, though he did not discuss any specific incident.

He didn't get into specifics because it didn't happen. Just trying to prop up false accusations in a lame attempt to beef up his lame argument. Even if it did so what? When Hispanics get on their own for using the term gringo then we'll talk.

A woman asked whether skinheads had moved to Hazleton and “joined (Barletta) in this ethnic cleansing.”

So now we are comparing this to ethnic cleansing? Get real you delusional twit. Exactly how many people have died since this law came to pass? None, thank you and STFU.

Glassman said he wouldn’t accuse any office holder of being involved with a hate group and added he couldn’t address Hazleton specifically. But he said Pennsylvania was home to more “national hate groups’” than any other state.

You mean LaRaza, Mecha, Maldef, Lulac and the Brown Berets made Hazleton their place of residency now?

Another woman asked whether there’d been a mass exodus from Hazleton. No one had a definitive answer, though city authorities have speculated that perhaps 1,000 people had left town since the IIRA’s passage.

Good riddance!

“They have farm fields that aren’t being plowed because there is nothing left but old men,”

Well that's what you get for breaking our laws and employing illegals for slave wages. I hope all your crops rot. Next time hire American citizens at a decent wage and mechanize and you won't have this problem again.

Originally Posted by Badmonkey

This wasnt a DEBATE, it was a RELIGIOUS EVENT. CAnnonizing illegal aliens. Libs and the Catholic Church. Any wonder?


Look at who voted against the fence:

Mainly 3or 4 Jews, 3 or 4 Irish Catholics, 3 Latinos, and 2 Asians. A few single religions 1 mormon, 1 episcopal, 1 OTHER etc, but all others were from specific demographic groups.

Kennedy actually DIDNT VOTE!

All this stuff is great, but we really neeed to close down the open blog for a few days a month for ACTIVISM ONLY DAYS or even a WEEK. We need to be active, we need to help RANDY GRAFF and if there was nothing else to do we could influence the election....moreso.....

BAD
We could sure use your help in the Alipac ACTIVISM forum.
Take a look see and jump in.
ALIPAC Activism and FOCUS Campaigns
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... forum&f=24
There's tons of work to be done and Brian has done an outstanding job of organizing it and keeping it updated. One step at a time and we will MOVE THE MOUNTAIN.

So, they had a crowd of 150 that all had the same misguided views. Wilkes-Barre is a city of 40,000+ and the remaining 39,850 want the laws enforced!!!
Just look at it as a meeting of wackos, getting together for a feelgood session. They can babble all they want but it ain't going to happen as long as the majority hold their elected officials accountable.

Originally Posted by 31scout

So, they had a crowd of 150 that all had the same misguided views. Wilkes-Barre is a city of 40,000+ and the remaining 39,850 want the laws enforced!!!
Just look at it as a meeting of wackos, getting together for a feelgood session. They can babble all they want but it ain't going to happen as long as the majority hold their elected officials accountable.

SCOUT
are you in or close to Wilkes-Barre?
I'm not that far {a stone's throw} from Milford.