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Plains joining other towns banning illegal immigration The communities are following Hazleton’s controversial lead





BY ROBERT KALINOWSKI
STAFF WRITER
08/12/2006





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Plains Township is the latest Luzerne County municipality looking to crack down on illegal immigration.


On Thursday, the township commissioners unanimously voted to allow the township solicitor to craft anti-illegal immigration legislation similar to a law passed in Hazleton, making their community the sixth in the county to tackle the controversial topic.

Hazleton’s law, the Illegal Immigration Relief Act, forbids landlords to rent to illegal immigrants, punishes employers who hire them, and makes English the city’s official language.

Ron Filippini, Plains Township’s commissioner chairman, said Plains’ law would be very similar to Hazleton’s, including the English-only provision, and the board is scheduled to vote on it Sept. 14.

“If Congress and the federal government isn’t going to do anything about it, we will,” Filippini said Friday.

Since Hazleton became the first municipality in the nation to adopt such a law, officials in two communities, Hazle Township and West Hazleton, have passed similar legislation and officials in Courtdale and Forty Forty have announced they are also proposing the legislation.

Other regional towns to consider tougher, local immigration laws include Frackville, McAdoo, Shenandoah and West Mahanoy Township, Schuylkill County; Nesquehoning, Carbon County; Sunbury, Northumberland County; Mount Pocono, Monroe County, according to published reports.

Filippini said there hasn’t been any problems with illegal immigration in the township, but the township wants to be ready. “If it’s happening up there (Hazleton), it will happen here,” he said.

The councilman said he’s a descendant of Polish and Italian immigrants who came to this country the legal way. He thinks that’s the least the country should ask from those who want to come here.

“Illegal immigrants are putting a strain on social and medical resources. They are a strain on the whole structure,” he said.

Commissioner Bridget O’Connor said she and the rest of the five-member board support the proposed law.

“I’m 100 percent for it,” O’Connor said. “It’s not that I don’t welcome anyone. I don’t want illegal immigrants here. I think every town has to take a hard look at it.”

At the board meeting Thursday night, Commissioner Joe Hoinski said he thinks “every town” should adopt a law similar to Hazleton’s.

Various civil rights groups have vowed to file lawsuits after Hazleton passed its law.

When asked about litigation, O’Connor said Solicitor Stephen Menn would have to comment in regard to that aspect. Menn could not immediately be reached Friday.

bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com