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Lancaster radio station to air debate today on immigration reform
By Carla Di Fonzo, Intelligencer Journal Staff
Intelligencer Journal

Published: Jul 26, 2006 8:17 AM EST

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - The controversy over immigration reform continues to heat up as cities across the country are adopting laws to discourage undocumented workers from settling in.
On July 12, Hazelton City Council voted to approve the Illegal Immigration Relief Act, which imposes severe penalties on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants, suspends the licenses of businesses that employ them and declares English the city's official language.

Hazleton's ordinance, and whether a similar law could be considered in Lancaster city, will be the topic of a discussion at 11:30 a.m. today on local radio station WLCH 91.3 FM.

The Spanish-language station is a subsidiary of Spanish American Civic Association of Lancaster.

Janelle Anderson of Lancaster's Human Relations Commission said she will attend the on-air discussion.

"I won't be there to give an official stance on the subject, but to look at the pros and cons," she said. "Our standpoint is on the middle ground, since we're not a legislative or a cultural agency.

"I am looking forward to a well-rounded discussion," Anderson said. "But as of right now, the commission does not have an official opinion."

The Hazleton ordinance requires anyone seeking to rent property in the city to apply for a residency license and submit to an investigation of citizenship status.

Landlords found renting to people without licenses will be fined $1,000 a day. Business owners found hiring, renting property to or providing goods and services to illegal immigrants will lose their business permits for five years on a first offense and 10 years on a second offense.

Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray said the ordinance is "insensitive."

"I think Lancaster has a rich cultural heritage, and many of those who contributed to the area came here as Pennsylvania Dutch," he said.

"So Lancaster natives should be more sensitive to those who want to maintain their culture but do not yet speak English."

Gray said many legal citizens aren't fluent in English and should not be subjected to higher scrutiny.

"Some of our residents are from Peurto Rico and born American," he said. "You don't have to know English to be an American."

While some people criticize Hazleton's approach to immigrant reform as too strict, others feel the tightened measures are necessary.

An ordinance similar to Hazleton's will go into effect this week in Vista, Calif., a San Diego suburb, that requires employers to register with the city before using day laborers, who are mainly immigrants.

The City Council in Avon Park, Fla., narrowly rejected legislation similar to Hazleton's Monday, and Kennewick, Wash., also is considering an illegal-immigration ordinance this week.

Gray said such laws can only bring disharmony to a community.

"Those laws could give people permission to harass others who only appear to be illegal immigrants," he said.

"I mean, come on, if someone puts an 'eh' on the end of their sentences, does that mean we should check to see if they're illegally emigrating from Canada?

"No, these immigration laws focus on Latinos," Gray said. "It's their turn to be picked on because it seems to be somebody new every day."

In any event, Gray said he would never support immigration reform that mirrors Hazelton's ordinance.

"If it's brought up here in Lancaster, it will get no support from this mayor," he said.



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