Thread: Hazelton, PA mayor fed up with illegals

Mayor proposes official language
Monday, 12 June 2006
By L.A. TARONE
tarone@standardspeaker.com
English will be the official language of the city of Hazleton, landlords who rent to illegal aliens will be fined and firms that hire illegal aliens will be barred from doing business within and with the city for five years if city council adopts a proposal from Mayor Lou Barletta. It is called the “Illegal Immigration Relief Act Ordinance.”
City council will consider it Thursday night.
The first three sections of the bill are declarations and definitions. The prohibitions are spelled out in Sections Four, Five and Six.
Section Four reads, “Any for-profit entity…that aids and abets illegal aliens or illegal immigration shall be denied approval of a business permit, the renewal of a business permit, city contracts or grants for a period of not less that five years…”
That section extends the punitive measures to include “acts committed by its parent company or subsidiary.” It defines aiding and abetting as “the hiring or attempted hiring of illegal aliens, renting or leasing to illegal aliens, or funding or aiding in the establishment of a laborer center that does not verify legal work status.” It adds the prohibition on helping illegals means “within the United States, not just within the city limits.”
“It is broad in scope,” Barletta said. “It includes national companies. I do not want companies that hire illegals in Hazleton. Period.”
Section Five bars both the renting of property by illegals as well as legal residents and/or citizens renting to illegals, “irrespective of such person’s intent, knowledge or negligence.”
It fines violators $1,000 for each offense – presumably meaning that if a citizen rents to three illegals, that would constitute three violations, meaning fines of $3,000.
Barletta said enforcement could come through the existing landlords’ ordinance and after the fact in the event of a crime.
“If we apprehend an illegal in any crime or violation, we will check his address and check with the landlord to see that he was given some form of identification,” Barletta said.
“Landlords needs to ask for IDs. Now, of course, if they were shown false identification, we won’t charge them. But landlords have to ask for ID. They have to get some sort of documentation. I don’t want people profiting from illegals.”
Section Six declares English “the official language of the city.”
“This is America,” Barletta said. “English is the language we speak. Everyone should have to play by the same rules. Hey, if I moved to France I’d have to learn French.”
“Unless explicitly mandated by the federal government, the state of Pennsylvania or the city of Hazleton, all official city business, forms, documents, signage, telecommunications or electronic communication devices will be written in or utilize English only,” the proposal reads.
“Our taxpayers should not have to foot the bill to train workers to make documents available in multiple languages,” Barletta said. “There’s no reason to spend money for new arrivals who have chosen not to learn English. This is a great country with great opportunities. But people who enjoy the benefits of it should learn and use English.”
That section does not prevent a private business owner or any individual from putting up a sign in a language other than English, nor does it prevent any individual from speaking a foreign language.
But it does mean that things such as copies of city laws, ordinances, licenses and permits will be printed in English only, except when ordered by a higher governmental entity.
Federal and state documents are covered by laws from their respective jurisdictions. And many federal and some state documents are mandated to be available in several languages.
The proposal is sure to be controversial and Barletta expects it. But he said the proposal is needed.
“I want to make this city one of the most difficult places in the U.S. for illegals,” Barletta said. “If you’re in the country illegally, maybe this isn’t the place to come.”
Under Section Two, "Findings and Declaration of Purpose,” the proposal reads that illegal immigration “leads to higher crime, contributes to overcrowded classrooms and failing schools, subjects our hospitals to fiscal hardship and legal residents to substandard quality of care, and destroys our neighborhoods and diminishes our overall quality of life.”
The extent of Hazleton’s illegal alien problem, obviously, isn’t known. But several have been arrested in high-profile crimes within the last three months.
Pedro Cabrera and Joan Romero, the two men charged in the May murder of 29-year-old Derek Kichline, are in the country illegally from the Dominican Republic, officials have said.
Michael Brito, 19, whose street name is “Marko,” was the main target of a North Wyoming Street drug raid in March. He is in the country illegally from the Dominican Republic, officials have said.
A few other illegals have also been picked up on other charges, including a 14-year-old male who was apprehended for shooting guns at Pine Street Playground in May.
Barletta said he wouldn’t be surprised if someone tried to legally challenge the ordinance, but he believes it is legal and enforceable and that it would stand a challenge.
“If somebody challenges it, so what?” Barletta said. “Anybody can challenge anything. It is legal and enforceable. If you’re here illegally, you’re already committing a crime. And people shouldn’t defend someone who did something illegal.”
Barletta said the proposal isn’t discriminatory because it prohibits renting to and hiring all illegal aliens, regardless of from where they hail, and that it stops the translation of city documents into all foreign languages. He added it was not aimed at stopping immigrants from coming to Hazleton, just illegal ones.
“No, this is not anti-immigrant,” Barletta said. “It is not aimed at immigrants with proper documentation. This country was built on immigration – legal immigration! Legal immigrants are here. They’re a great and productive part of our community.”
Barletta has complained about illegals in Hazleton before. Often, he has urged the federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to open an office in Hazleton. Last year, he went to Washington to discuss illegal immigration, among other things, with federal officials.
If passed, the ordinance will make Hazleton the second city in the state to adopt English as its official language. Allentown did so over a decade ago.
Allentown’s proclamation was controversial at the time it was adopted and remains so, though it appears to have widespread support among citizens.
But there, city Councilman Tony Phillips, elected in 2005, wants to strip the proclamation from the city charter and replace it with, “Allentown is a city that celebrates the diversity of its residents.”
But Phillips’ move has, thus far, not generated much support.

I live about 40 miles from the city mentioned above. It's an old coal town, very quiet, nothing ever goes on. Very cheap to live, etc. About 10 years ago, it started to get invaded. The usual, no one speaking English. In fact, this summer they DEMANDED a seperate little league where the coaches and umpires speak Spanish! Of all the gall! The mayor told them to go pound sand (politely).
In the last year, there has been 2 murders, several arrested for shooting guns near playgrounds, numerous drug arrests. Now there's gang graffitti all over the place. This was all done by, you guessed it, Bush's hard workers, the ones that just came here to give their families a better life.
Now the locals are moving out of the city and probably in about another 10 years the place will be the typical cesspool. A nice, safe city is going down the toilet. It's a dam shame.

That's a darn shame. All they are doing is bringing that same trashy way of life here to the US. And our leaders are asking us to welcome it with open arms

Sounds like small town mayor Barletta is more of a statesman than any of those pukes in the senate. Hope he doesn't get the grief the Philly Cheese steak vendor got.
Isn't it odd that when you hear of a little common sense taken by a public figure it is unusual when it should be the norm.

Just this morning I listened to an interview of a local bleeding heart rail on about the mayor. He was saying that locals did this to the Italians, Poles, etc, when they moved in 100 years ago. The usual crap.
Thie jerk forgot to say that the Italians, Poles, etc didn't murder each other, sell dope and allow their properties to look like a ghetto.

What part of Pa. is this city located?

Love this mayor! He is determined to have NO illegals immigrants in Hazelton, PA. More mayors across the country should take a stand in their communities.

Steerlerbabe,
It's about 25 miles southeast of Wilkes-Barre, the northeast corner of the state.

San Bernardino Ca. proposed some similar laws. Haven't heard what happened. Has anyone?

31scout: Thanks for the info. I live 8 miles south of Pittsburgh. It is quite a distance away.