Thread: PA: Reaction to Immigration Ruling

Reaction to Immigration Ruling



Thursday, July 26, UDPATED: 6:02 p.m.
By Bianca Barr

Residents and city leaders in Hazleton are reacting to a federal judge's ruling striking down the city's Illegal Immigration Act.

Late Thursday afternoon members of the group who filed the lawsuit and Mayor Lou Barletta, who created the ordinance, spoke about the ruling.

There were two news conferences held back-back in the city of Hazleton to comment on the judge's ruling in federal court.

With word of the federal court ruling that Hazleton's Illegal Immigration Relief Act is unconstitutional, members of the local Latino community celebrated what they called a victory for all immigrants who have moved to Hazleton.

But within the comments, the tension still was evident as they talked about why this issue had to get this far and whether the ruling with change what they call a negative mind-set of some of their neighbors.

"Did we really win? People are still being treated disrespectfully and without dignity," said Anna Arias of the Hazleton Latino Association.

They talked about the need for Hazleton to heal and move forward from today with a positive outlook. They said they want people of all races to work together to find some type of harmony.

"This is the beginning of the healing we have to do with the community. The community has to come back together. They have to settle their differences and work for the better of the community," said Hispanic leader Agipito Lopez.

At Hazleton City Hall about 4:30 p.m. Mayor Lou Barletta vowed to appeal, saying he was disappointed in the ruling. "This judge's decision today is not the end. The people of Hazleton need to know that I will do everything I can to make Hazleton the toughest city in America for illegal aliens," Mayor Barletta said.

They city attorneys said the ruling begs for an appeal and said the judge's interpretation of the law will not hold up in the Third Circuit Court of Appeal in Philadelphia.

"If the judge had written a tight, closely-reasoned opinion that didn't venture too far out on the limb, that would be a hard case to appeal but this judge has written an opinion that goes to extraordinary lengths to find fault with the city's ordinance and this makes for a perfect appeal," said Kris Kobach, Hazleton lead attorney. The city has 30 days to file that appeal.

Mayor Barletta said he wants both the borders and the towns of the United States secured. "Since the federal government has refused to protect us, I have an obligation as an elected official of the people of this city to do that and I'm not going to stop. I'm going to continue to fight for them and I'm going to be as vocal today, tomorrow and next year as I have been the last year fighting illegal immigration," Barletta said.

Members of local Hispanic community pleaded with the mayor to let this decision be the end but obviously that is not the case. It is clear that the immigration issue is far from over.

http://www.wnep.com/global/story.asp?s=6846076

"Did we really win? People are still being treated disrespectfully and without dignity," said Anna Arias of the Hazleton Latino Association.

Did they win??? Unbelievable, so they are at war with us. That's right people are being treated disrespectfully and that is the American people! This is an absolute outrage! Everyone matters but US? Dignity? They want to be treated with dignity that they do not deserve. How dignified is a lawbreaker? How dignified is a person who seeks to take another's provisions? Breaking and entering is not dignified.

RESPECT IS A TWO WAY STREET.

Divisions as sharp as ever after ruling
MICHAEL DUNCAN mduncan@timesleader.com

Times Leader Photo Store
HAZLETON – Residents remained harshly divided on Thursday after the city’s Illegal Immigration Relief Act Ordinance was struck down by a federal judge.

Federal District Judge James Munley, in an opinion more than 200 pages long, said the Hazleton ordinance appropriated federal power into the hands of local government and that immigration was a federal matter, a decision Mayor Louis Barletta’s legal team called “the paradigm of judicial activism.â€

Do you agree wit hthe judge's decision to strike down the Hazleton illegal immigration ordinance?

Yes 16%

No 84%


Total Votes: 7584

Do you agree wit hthe judge's decision to strike down the Hazleton illegal immigration ordinance?

Yes 11%

No 89%


Total Votes: 11123

Do you agree wit hthe judge's decision to strike down the Hazleton illegal immigration ordinance?

Yes 10%

No 90%


Total Votes: 12132

being treated disrespectfully and without dignity

this means she doesn't like for criminals to be called criminals because they chose to break our laws by coming in here illegally. We are all supposed to get on our hands and knees and thank the heavens that these folks have decided to grace our country with their presence, why on Earth should THEY have to follow our laws?

"If the judge had written a tight, closely-reasoned opinion that didn't venture too far out on the limb, that would be a hard case to appeal but this judge has written an opinion that goes to extraordinary lengths to find fault with the city's ordinance and this makes for a perfect appeal," said Kris Kobach, Hazleton lead attorney. The city has 30 days to file that appeal.

I said this after I read the ruling. He was far to vague and seemed to be searching for a reason rather than showing precisely how it is unconstitutional, more of his opinion rather than an interpretation of the law.

The appeal will most likely be successful.

He said that cities couldn't re-write immigration laws and I find that totally ludicrous. They had re-written nothing, only enforcing already existing immigration laws.