http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/ ... 06956.html

Pa. town takes lead in debate

By TODD MCHALE
Burlington County Times


HAZLETON, Pa. — Welcome to Hazleton.

What began as a rest stop for weary missionaries and American Revolutionary War soldiers traveling through the wilderness of northeastern Pennsylvania en route to Wilkes-Barre has become the focus of a nationwide debate on illegal immigration.

In recent days, major media outlets from around the world have either called or traveled to the community nestled in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains to speak to Mayor Louis Barletta about his plan to rid his city of illegal immigrants.

“Katie Couric's office from CBS News in New York has called, producers from “60 Minutes” have visited, Lou Dobbs of CNN has had the*mayor on twice and “Fox & Friends” had him on. (Times of London) and other British papers, along with media from Japan and a lot of Latino media, have all called for interviews with the mayor,” said Cherie Homa, the mayor's administrative assistant.

In some circles, Barletta is an American hero for pushing for the adoption of the Illegal Immigration Relief Act, which essentially bans anyone from hiring or renting housing to illegal immigrants.

“We've gotten 9,800 e-mails and stacks of letters supporting the mayor,” Homa said. “Most of the letters want him to run for president or they say, "please move to our state and be our governor.'”

To others, however, Barletta is the racist who introduced a law that steps all over the U.S. Constitution and federal law and encourages intolerance between white residents and the Hispanic immigrant population of Hazleton.

As for Barletta, he believes the ordinance was necessary to stop the flow of illegal immigrants moving to Hazleton.

“Immigration is a federal issue. However, when people enter the country illegally and come in your communi*y, it's a local problem,” Barletta said. “When (illegal immigration) destroys the quality of life, I have to defend the city.”

Modeling its measure on a failed San Bernandino, Calif., ordinance, Hazleton was thrust into the national spotlight after adopting one of the nation's toughest illegal immigrant laws on July 13.

Two weeks later, Riverside in Burlington County followed in Hazleton's footsteps.

Under Hazleton's ordinance, all prospective renters would be required to obtain a residency per*it at city hall.

“We are very optimistic that (the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement) will help us develop a computer program similar to the one used for businesses to tell if a person is a legal resident,” Barletta said.

Any would-be resident whose background check fails to confirm they are in the country legally would not be able to live in the city.

Landlords caught renting to illegal immigrants would be fined $1,000 a day. Businesses found to have hired illegal immigrants would lose their licenses for five years. The law also makes English the city's official language, meaning the city will only print official information in English.

The American Civil Liberties Union, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund and several residents filed a federal lawsuit challenging the law last month.


Dr. Agapito Lopez, a Hazleton resident and staunch critic of Barletta, said the anti-illegal immigration law breeds intolerance.

“*ince they began this, there's widespread anger (against) immigrants in the white community,” Lopez said. “It's causing a lot of fear in the Hispanic community.”

Lopez, an ophthalmologist, said numerous Hispanic residents have fled the area since the ordinance was adopted.

“There are so many people both legal and illegal that have left Hazleton because of this ordinance,” Lopez said. “They don't want to be in a place where they are not wanted.”

Orion Matas, who has lived in Hazelton for 68 of his 81 years, can't say enough good things about the mayor.

“I have the utmost respect for the mayor for having the guts to do this,” Matas said. “The thing is, if they're illegal they're breaking the law. This can't continue. They're sort of interrupting our way of life. If we don't stop them now, they're going to be running this town.”

Barletta said that for him personally, a murder and a shooting in a playground, both allegedly committed by illegal immigrants, were the last straw.

“I realized we had to do something,” Barletta said.

Across town, Alberto Cabrera, who owns Mexican Produce, said he thinks the mayor is using a “few troublemakers” to condemn the entire immigrant population.

“My customers are hard-working people,” Cabrera said. “They go to work, come home and work on their houses and don't cause any problems.”

He said he's lost a lot of his customers since the law was approved.

Barletta isn't the least bit sympathetic about the loss of business for those who are catering to illegal immigrants.

He said the financial burden the city has had to carry to provide services to illegal immigrants has been too high for a town of just over 23,329 residents. Barletta believes the influx of illegal immigrants in recent years has caused the city's population to swell to more than 31,000 residents.

“We simply can't continue to absorb these costs,” Barletta said.

Regardless, Fabian Froilan, who works in a barber shop a stone's throw from city hall, said he can't really understand why Hazleton needs such a law.

“It's racist,” Froilan said. “We think it's funny they would even try and do this.”

Joe Waschko, whose family has owned a pharmacy in town for 80 years, believes Barletta has widespread support in Hazleton, but he's unsure how it will all end.

“I think it was worth it,” Waschko said of the controversial law. “I don't know how it will turn out in court.”

On Friday the city of Hazleton agreed not to enforce the ordinance in order to prevent opponents from seeking a court injunction. Barletta said Thursday the law is a work in progress, but he will not back down on proceeding with an ordinance to keep illegal immigrants from moving to Hazleton.

“We believe it will stand up in court,” Barletta said. “I'll continue fighting for this all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if that's what it takes.”

E-Mail: TODD MCHALE


September 3, 2006 8:26 AM