Hazleton files to dismiss lawsuit challenging illegal immigr
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12/05/2006
Breaking News: Hazleton files to dismiss lawsuit challenging illegal immigration laws
By Wade Malcolm , Staff Writer
Hazleton defense attorneys filed a motion Friday to dismiss the federal lawsuit challenging the city's right to enforce laws targeting illegal immigrants.
Filed with a 110-page supporting brief in Scranton's William J. Nealon Federal Building, the motion claims Hazleton has the right to enforce the ordinances punishing landlords and employers renting to or hiring illegal immigrants under existing federal laws. Previous court decisions have held that local governments can enforce immigration ordinances through regulation of permits and fines.
The motion also states the plaintiffs cannot prove the ordinances have directly caused them irreparable harm.
A temporary restraining order granted by Judge James M. Munley in October has blocked enforcement of the ordinances, which were first proposed by Mayor Lou Barletta in June.
Several advocacy groups and private attorneys brought the suit, arguing the ordinances are unconstitutional and promote civil rights violations. They represent more than a dozen plaintiffs from Hazleton - several of whom are identified only as Jane and John Does - who say the ordinances have caused irreparable harm.