Thread: Immigration Panel Gets Stood Up

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/allento ... entown-hed

Immigration panel gets stood up
Witnesses asked to speak at City Council group didn't show.
By Scott Kraus Of The Morning Call
Allentown Councilman Louis Hershman is not giving up his hope of doing something to address illegal immigration in the city, despite being stood up by the majority of the scheduled witnesses at Monday's meeting of his immigration committee.

Hershman said he will hold no more hearings on the issue, but will get his four-member ad hoc committee — created to assess the extent of the problem — to put together a recommendation for City Council.

If council isn't interested, Hershman said he may circulate petitions to place a question relating to illegal immigration on the ballot in the May 2007 primary.

''If illegal immigrants are a problem, then let's solve it,'' he said.

Hershman put Mayor Ed Pawlowski, Police Chief Roger MacLean and representatives of the Allentown School District on his meeting agenda, as well as representatives of local hospitals, but none of them attended. U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, R-15th District, did send a representative of his office.

Pawlowski said he's not sure what Hershman's goals are for the committee and that there are much more pressing problems facing the city, such as poverty.

''It's a moot point at this point. He doesn't have anyone to second his bill, and I'm not sure what he is trying to accomplish,'' Pawlowski said.

The committee was created by council President David M. Howells Sr. in an effort to promote civil dialogue after Hershman floated a proposal to penalize companies that employ illegal immigrants and landlords who rent to them.

While Hershman's meeting lacked speakers who were invited, it had plenty of emotion. Speakers on both sides of the issue tried hard to point out they were talking about illegal immigration, but the issue of race hung heavily in the air. There were several shouting matches.

Shirley Klotz, an Allentown hairstylist who was shot when her 15th Street hair salon was robbed at gunpoint in December, said she decided to move her business from the city because it is becoming too dangerous. She complained that many of the people walking by her business don't speak English.

''I know what nationality [my shooter] was,'' Klotz said. ''He was Hispanic.''

Marcos Urbina, 18, of Allentown, talked about coming to Allentown from Mexico with his family as an illegal immigrant at age 3. Whether or not they admit it, he said, when most people talk about illegal immigrants, they are really talking about Hispanics.

Now a student at Lehigh Carbon Community College, Urbina said he and his family have worked hard to succeed, and are contributing members of the community.

''Everybody in my family works,'' Urbina said. ''We are not here to start problems.''

Whether or not they admit it, he said, when most people talk about illegal immigrants, they are really talking about Hispanics.

Well, that's no newsflash.....since 85% of illegals are Hispanic.............duh?? The majority gets the attention!