Posted on 07/14/2006 1:01:53 PM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
Hazleton, Pa., creates one of the strictest laws in the U.S., polarizing its whites and Latinos.
Standing outside City Hall in the gathering dark, Norman Tarantino felt, for once, that he was lucky to live in Hazleton.
Most of his friends had moved away, over the years, convinced that the old coal city's best days were behind it. But as of Thursday night, Tarantino said, Hazleton once again has something to be proud of: It is the most hostile environment in America for illegal immigrants.
Not 20 feet away stood Daniel Jorge, a Dominican immigrant who moved his family to Hazleton last year after 25 years in New York City. Jorge, a real estate agent, was wondering how he would break the news to his wife, who had been enchanted with the small-town friendliness she found in Hazleton, a small city in the hills 80 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
"I'm sad. I loved it here," Jorge said. He gazed at the police officers lined up in the middle of Church Street, separating crowds of white and Latino demonstrators. "I never in my wildest dreams thought I would see this here in this city."
By a vote of 4 to 1, Hazleton's City Council on Thursday approved the Illegal Immigration Relief Act, which imposes severe penalties on landlords who rent space to illegal immigrants, suspends the licenses of businesses that employ them, and declares English the city's official language.
The ordinance has brought celebrity status to Hazleton's mayor, Louis Barletta, and has prompted a ripple of proposed new laws in neighboring communities.
In Florida, the communities of Avon Park and Palm Bay will vote on similar laws, as will the city of Escondido in California.
The law has also attracted a legal challenge from the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Of course the author hasn't the balls to write whether Daniel Jorge is here legally or illegally...if he's a citizen or if he isn't. If he's been here legally for 25 years, claiming he loves it so, and if he isn't a citizen yet, why is he still here?
Poor illegal Jorge....You can bet that the pro-illegals are out lining up pitiful little children of illegals to show the world how cruel these "racist" people are.
PING
"Who says he didn't ? ... certainly not this news report ..."
From what I gather it does not take 25 years to get an answer from the State dept.
This is great news. The people are slowly taking power back from the elites.
I don't see anything in the article that discusses Jorge's immigration status. If he's illegal, he has a problem. If not, what's he worried about? Why should he and his wife be upset? Why shouldn't his wife still be enchanted? Or are they pro-illegal immigration?
These would be useful questions to ask. But it's the LA Times
Sounds good, but this isn't a racial thing. I know plenty of European illegals. It's just that fewer people think to question their immigration status. My neighbors are illegally here (expired visas) from Austria. I've a couple of other friends from Holland who have been here seemingly forever illegally. Also a Canadian transplant whom I don't think is supposed to be here.
Send 'em all home.
My money is on his wife being illegal.
He's been here (at least) TWENTY-FIVE YEARS, and he's STILL frikkin' illegal??? In that time he failed to take advantage of HOW MANY amnesties???
If I was that mayor I'd be saying that the ordinance was passed to prevent local landlords or employers from breaking federal law by aiding and abetting illegal law-breakers.
......and while we're asking questions, just how much welfare did he and mama collect over the years.
"Not 20 feet away stood Daniel Jorge, a Dominican immigrant (ILLEGAL) who moved his family to Hazleton last year after 25 years in New York City. ... wondering how he would break the news to his wife ... "I'm sad. I loved it here" Jorge said...."
Uh... Jorge, unless my math is bad, 2006 - 25yrs is 1981.
Soooooo Jorge, I gotta ask - where were you in 1986 when Reagan gave YOU and YOUR wife Amnesty?!?! What, too lazy to fill out the @#$%ing paperwork huh Jorge?
****I wondered about stuff like this when it was reported Jan 1st that +/-200,000 Illegals who qualified under Reagan's 1986 Amnesty plan still hadn't filled out their 'get out of jail free' (Citizenship) paperwork. Sheesh, twenty years and too GD lazy to do the right f**king thing.****
GET OUT you &%#@%^#$ maggot!!!!
"In Florida, the communities of Avon Park and Palm Bay will vote on similar laws, as will the city of Escondido in California"
Does anyone have specifics for the City of Escondido? I went through the minutes for the city council and fond no such issues being discussed. What did I miss?
I'm cordial to illegals? Um OK
I might be reaching here, but this reads like he's ready to call the moving truck:
Jorge, a real estate agent, was wondering how he would break the news to his wife, who had been enchanted with the small-town friendliness she found in Hazleton, a small city in the hills 80 miles northwest of Philadelphia. "I'm sad. I loved it here," Jorge said.
"From what I gather it does not take 25 years to get an answer from the State dept."
What are you talking about ?
This guy could very well have LEGALLY immigrated from the Dominican Republic 25 years ago --- nothing in this article says anything about his status.
"This guy could very well have LEGALLY immigrated from the Dominican Republic 25 years ago --- nothing in this article says anything about his status."
You are correct. But if so, what's he so worried about and why does he worry what his wife will think?
"I might be reaching here, but this reads like he's ready to call the moving truck:"
Could be ... but it could very well be that they moved to get away from the racial problems in NYC and now they find that they really didn't get away from it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.