Lou Barletta is running for Congress

 Hazleton's anti-immigrant mayor, Lou Barletta, is running for Congress.  Guess what he decided to *not* mention when announced--that's right, immigration.

It's a curious choice for a man who based his reputation on alienating the mainly Dominican immigrants in his hometown.  These immigrants were guilty of reviving a dying downtown district and bringing in new businesses and jobs.

My question is whether Mr. Barletta will be able to actually stand for something.

Lou Dobbs' favorite mayor, Hazleton's Lou Barletta, announced today he's going for a rematch against northeastern Pennsylvania Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa.

Barletta made national headlines with his efforts to drive illegal immigrants from his city, an economically struggling community on the edge of the Poconos, even going to federal court to defend city ordinances that allowed him to fine landlords who rented to illegal immigrants and employers who hired them. He was a frequent guest on Dobbs' now-defunct TV show.

In what may be a sign of the changing times, Barletta didn't even mention immigration in today's announcement. Instead, he focused on the economy.

"We need sane, sensible policies to restore our economy and encourage it to grow, create good jobs, and guarantee retirees’ pensions and benefits," he said.

Last year when he ran for Congress against a much-better funded Kanjorski, Barletta lost 52%-48%. But he outpolled Republican presidential candidate John McCain by six percentage points in Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district. President Obama won the district with 57% of the vote.
While there are plenty of indications that next year will be a better one for Republicans, Barletta faces an uphill battle. Money, for one thing: As of Sept. 30, Kanjorski had more than $800,000 in his campaign treasury. By contrast, Barletta still had more than $263,000 in debts from the last campaign. The mayor said he's looking forward, not back. "We're going to raise money for the campaign in 2010, not to retire the debt," Barletta told reporters on a conference call.

There's also competition within the GOP. Local businessman Chris Paige is also campaigning for the Republican nomination and is attacking Barletta on his signature issue. Paige says Barletta's plans to crack down on illegal immigration will mean a national ID card and higher taxes. "Don't forget that any government powerful enough to round up and deport 14 million people is anything but a small limited government," Paige writes on his website.

Hazleton on the Diane Rehm Show

The link here will take you to the podcast of today's Diane Rehm Show (WAMU FM 88.5). Diane's guests included Ben Johnson, director of the Immigration Policy Center of the American Immigration Law Foundation, Jennifer Ludden, reporter, National Public Radio, Michael Hethmon, co-counsel for the city of Hazleton, Pennsylvania; general counsel, Immigration Reform Law Institute, Lou Barletta, mayor, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and Rudy Espinal, president, Hazleton Hispanic Business Association.

The program was a great discussion of the issues central to Hazleton's anti-immigrant ordininaces and immigration reform in the U.S.

Hazleton's Anti-immigrant Law in Judge's Hands

The trial to challenge Hazleton Pennsylvania's anti-immigrant ordinances is now in the judge's hands. No ruling is expected for two months.

The trial began on March 12, and illuminated much of the folly behind Lou Barletta's anti-immigrant movement. As I posted earlier this week, Barletta admitted under oath that he had never bothered to do any research on how many undocumented immigrants live in his town, nor whether they were straining services as he claimed. Today's L.A. Times reports another interested tidbit: of the 8,500 crimes committed in Hazleton in the last six years, the city can only prove that 20 were committed by illegal immigrants.

The real issue here is not Mr. Barletta's battle against crime or overcrowding. It's against change. In five years Hazleton's population increased by about 50%, to 31,000, mostly because of Latinos who left New York after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. This former coal-mining town northwest of Philadelphia was in a state of decline before Latinos discovered, and revitalized the town.

Nostalgia so easily clouds one's judgment.

Hazleton Mayor Admits he has no data on immigrants and their impact in his town

I know that this is going to be a major shock to many, but it appears that Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta assumed that illegal immigrants were the cause of problems in his community, but never bothered do get any data to support his position or his ordinances. According to The Allentown Morning Call online, while Mayor Barletta testified yesterday, he basically shot his ordinances in the foot. He testified during the third day of the non-jury trial, which will test the constitutionality of Hazleton's Illegal Immigration Relief Act in what is the first federal trial on a municipality's bid to curb illegal immigration.

Mr. Barletta captured the nation's attention with his strong nativist rhetoric, which he repeated on the stand,

Barletta also said he firmly believes illegal immigrants should be flushed out across the country, and that he introduced the ordinance because he is responsible for providing public safety. ''I saw a problem in my city, and I tried to do something about it,'' he said.

Unfortunately, Mr. Barletta has based his anti-immigrant policies on belief rather than fact. He admitted that had no idea how many illegal immigrants live in his city of about 32,000. He also did not rely on any data to conclude they are the root of its problems. So, while Barletta sincerely believes illegal immigration has contributed to overcrowding in schools and hospitals and "destroys the overall quality of life," he has never stopped to look for data that may prove he is sincerely wrong.

During his testimony Barletta admitted he did not contact the school district to ask about alleged overcrowding, nor did he call the hospital for statistics on the treatment of illegal immigrants. Indeed, he did not seek any data to back up any of the claims. Instead, Barletta said he assumed schools were overcrowded because classes were being held in trailers, and he read in the local newspaper that test scores had fallen.

I completely understand your position, Mr. Barletta. Why bother doing any research when just saying something is sooo much easier.

I believe that Hazleton's mayor made a fool of himself yesterday. And guess what? --I have evidence to prove it.

Hazleton's Immigration Crackdown goes on Trial

Months after the town of Hazleton, Pennsylvania passed a series of anti-immigrant regulations, the legality of these laws is finally being challenged in court. The NPR story linked here discusses the major issues at stake: is it possible for a town to regulate immigration? The ACLU argues that immigration control is the responsibility of the federal government, and that Hazleton's ordinances, which would punish landlords and employers who knowingly rent to or employ illegal immigrants, are unconstitutional.

The most disturbing aspect of this report is its preamble, where Jennifer Ludden summarizes Mayor Barletta's narrative of what he believes has happened in Hazleton. According to Barletta, the town of Hazleton was once a small-town idyll that has been disrupted by Latinos who he believes are responsible for the town's crime and economic problems. It's interesting that Barletta ignore's the fact that Hazleton was a dying and depopulating coal town before the immigrants moved in and initiated a remarkable revitalization, including new businesses and a tax base.

The other problematic discussed here is that Hazleton's ordinances encourage discrimination against all Latinos, many of whom are NOT undocumented, and therefore have every right to live in Hazleton if they wish. The report notes that many documented Latinos have packed up and left town because they do not want to live in what has become a hostile community toward immigrants.

Many other small communities across the nation are closely watching events in Hazleton. If the courts uphold their ordinances, many others plan to enact similar local laws.

Hazleton's Anti-immigrant Laws

Remember last year when Hazleton, Pennsylvania made the news nearly every day? You may recall that their mayor, Lou Barletta became an innovator in the practice of anti-immigrant ordinances and anti-immigrant sentiment when he and his Town Council passed a series of laws aimed at pushing undocumented people out of the town by making it illegal for landlords to rent to anyone without checking their immigration status, declaring English as the official language, and penalizing employers who hire undocumented workers.

You may also recall my blog post from last August about Hazleton's growth since immigrants discovered the town. Hazlteon is a former coal mining community, like many of its neighbors in Pennsylvania, it had been dying a slow death as it's younger generation left seeking decent employment and a better future elsewhere. Far from destroying the community, immigrants had revitalized the town. Like the Italians who settled there nearly 100 years before, the Latinos where giving Hazleton a chance for growth, and a future.

Unfortunately, Mr. Barletta doesn't see it that way, and like the 100 other municipalities in 27 states that have followed his lead and passed a variety of ordinances that are aimed at moving the undocumented (and perhaps the legal permanent Latino residents as well) out of these communities.

The Washington Post article linked above provides the following run-down on how these ordinances have been challenged:

Opponents of the crackdowns have fought back, mounting a half-dozen legal challenges _ all successful _ in Hazleton and places like Valley Park, Mo., and Farmers Branch, Texas. None of those municipalities is enforcing its law.

In some of the cases, state and federal judges have blocked the laws. In the others, the towns themselves have backed down, unwilling or unable to mount expensive legal battles.

After a federal judge blocked Escondido, Calif., from fining landlords who rent to illegal immigrants, the city council killed the measure and agreed to pay $90,000 to the opposing lawyers.

In the Valley Park case, St. Louis County Circuit Judge Barbara Wallace issued a restraining order and said there were "big holes" in the city's ordinance, which would target businesses and landlords.

The American Civil Liberties Union argues the measures trample on the federal government's exclusive power to regulate immigration. In issuing a temporary restraining order against Hazleton on Oct. 31, U.S. District Judge James Munley said there was a "reasonable probability" its package of laws would be declared unconstitutional.

Although most of the jurisdictions that have passed these laws have been challenged in court, it is expected that more communities will pass these laws in response to the inaction from the federal government. Even though the laws in communities that are facing legal challenges have yet to be enforced many Latinos, undocumented or legal, have already left. Latino business districts in Hazleton, Farmers Branch and Riverside, N.J., all report steep declines.