Illegal immigration act appeal due in federal court Thursday

BY KENT JACKSON
STAFF WRITER
Published: Monday, October 27, 2008 2:43 AM EDT

A federal appeal for a 2006 case that put Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta in the spotlight will be held five days before he faces U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski in their race for Congress.

Two years ago, Barletta gained national attention by supporting Hazleton’s Illegal Immigration Relief Act. The law never took effect, and a federal judge in Scranton overturned it last summer.

The U.S. Circuit Court in Philadelphia plans to hear an appeal in the case at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

During the appeal, three judges selected by computer will listen to arguments and ask questions of attorneys representing the city and the law’s opponents, led by the American Civil Liberties Union. Each side will have 30 minutes to present a case, and the judges aren’t expected to decide the appeal for months.

Still, the hearing might revive an issue that initially attracted voters to Barletta.

“It will allow Mayor Barletta to demonstrate yet again that he has been fighting for the people of Hazleton and by extension for the people of the district,â€