Associated Press – 8/16/2006

The ACLU has sued the town of Hazelton, Pennsylvania over one of the toughest crackdowns on illegal immigrants by a U.S. city. Hazelton officials have passed a law that would fine landlords $1000 for renting to illegals, deny business permits to people who give them jobs, and make English the city’s official language.

Mayor Lou Barietta, who proposed the ordinance after two illegal immigrants were charged with shooting and killing a man, said, “They are attempting to scare the city into backing off. We’re not going to be bullied…(w)er’e confident the ordinance will stand up to judicial scrutiny, and we’ll fight it as far as we have to. I believe this is a landmark case. A line has been drawn here in Hazelton.”