Thread: Judicial Watch opinion on Hazelton Ruling

From the Desk of Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton:

Judge Rules Against Hazleton’s Crackdown on Illegal Immigration

Illegal immigrants and their special interest groups got a helping hand on Thursday from U.S. District Court JudgeJames Munley, a Clinton appointee who ruled unconstitutional two Hazleton, Pennsylvania, laws designed to crack down on illegal immigration.

The judge issued a permanent injunction preventing the City of Hazleton from enforcing the Illegal Immigration Relief Act and the Landlord Tenant Ordinance, which were intended to prevent businesses from hiring illegals and landlords from renting to them.

Judicial Watch believes Judge Munley is wrong on this issue. Weekly Update readers will recall that in March, Judicial Watch filed an amicus curiae brief on behalf of the City of Hazleton. Here, in a nutshell, was our argument:

[i]“…The City of Hazleton has found it both reasonable and necessary for the public health and welfare to exercise its police power by enacting [these ordinances]…The subject matter regulated – the employment and harboring of persons ‘not entitled to lawful residence in the United States, let alone to work here – is certainly within the mainstream of [the City of Hazleton’s] police power…’â€

the good news about the appeal is that now other parties can step in with Hazelton. You had to know this judge's ruling would be this when he refused to allow Judical Watch and others to join their case.