By Amy Worden
Inquirer Staff Writer

SCRANTON - It could be months before a judge rules in a closely watched federal trial over Hazleton's effort to crack down on illegal immigrants, whom officials blame for increasing crime.

Following closing arguments yesterday, U.S. District Judge James Munley gave lawyers for the two sides until May to file additional briefs. He described the legal issues as "very convoluted."

In closing arguments, ACLU lawyer Witold Walczak contended that Hazleton failed to prove a connection between undocumented immigrants and crime and overstepped its authority because only the federal government may enforce immigration policy. But Kris Kobach, an attorney representing Hazleton, argued the ordinance targeted a real problem and was carefully crafted to "thread the needle of federal preemption." Enforcement of the ordinance has been barred pending the trial's outcome.

By KENT JACKSON
Staff writer

Police Detective Christopher Orozco is learning to read the writing on the wall – the squiggles, symbols and slogans that gangs spray paint on buildings, fences, and pavement in Hazleton.

In the case of some gang members, Orozco watches with whom they meet and studies surveillance photos to identify their associates.

Through his work, he identified gangs active in Hazleton, including Crips, Bloods, MS-13, East Side, the Latin Kings and Trinitarios, which seems to be absorbing members from Dominicans Don’t Play.

Identities aren’t always obvious.

By KENT JACKSON
Staff writer

SCRANTON – One-third of people arrested by the Hazleton police drug unit last year were illegal immigrants, as were one-third of arrested gang members, two city detectives testified Wednesday.

Zola testified about how police in his unit spent time and money preparing a case against a cocaine ring based in a barbershop and clothing store called New York’s Finest on North Wyoming Street.

For the raid on New York’s Finest on May 18, 2006, most Hazleton police officers participated, not just the four-man drug squad that Zola directs. Agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration Customs Enforcement, state police and Luzerne County sheriff’s deputies assisted.

STEVE MOCARSKY
Staff writer

SCRANTON – A nationally recognized gang expert testified Wednesday that MS-13 – a gang Hazleton police say has a presence in the city – is one of the most dangerous gangs in the world, and that many of its members are illegal immigrants.

The defense called Jared Lewis, director of Know Gangs – an organization he founded to teach law enforcement officials how to identify and deal with gang problems -- as an expert witness in the Illegal Immigration Relief Act trial.

Mayor Lou Barletta and Police Chief Robert Ferdinand testified previously that many illegal immigrants arrested in the city have gang associations.

Officials of the small town of Hazleton, Pa., are taking on the open-borders crowd in a federal court case that has important ramifications for local and state governments throughout the country.

Last year, Hazleton officials enacted a series of laws intended to crack down on illegal immigrants in their community. The American Civil Liberties Union and some Hispanic groups filed a lawsuit seeking to have the local laws overturned. A U.S. District Court judge in Scranton has begun hearing the case.

There are several issues involved. For example, one of Hazleton’s rules is intended to stop landlords from renting rooms, apartments and houses to illegal immigrants. Part of the measure requires that tenants register with city government. Some don’t like that requirement.

By Brad Bumsted
STATE CAPITOL REPORTER

HARRISBURG -- Americans are fed up with inaction by the federal government on illegal immigration and that's why states and local governments increasingly are adopting laws and ordinances, state and local experts say.

"People don't believe that the efforts the federal government is making now -- with beefing up border patrols, raiding businesses -- are really doing anything about illegal immigration," said James Lee, president of Susquehanna Polling, who has conducted national and state polls on the issue.

But the actions taken by Hazleton Mayor Louis Barletta to crack down on illegal aliens in his city "hit a nerve with Americans," Lee said. "The support was universal, whether they were Republican or Democrat."

WHEN your mother said that sticks and stones could break your bones, but names could never harm you, she wasn't entirely right.

Words can hurt. They can put ideas in a false light. Those savvy about language choose their words - or omit them - carefully.

That's how the abortion debate ceased to be a debate about "abortion."

It morphed into a battle of pros - pro-life vs. pro-choice.

Nobody on either side wanted to be against anything, I guess.

I'm against something.

I'm against those who cross the border between linguistics and lies. In the debate over illegal aliens, we are hearing some spectacular lies.

By STEVE MOCARSKY
Staff writer

SCRANTON – Attorneys for the plaintiffs in the Illegal Immigration Relief Act trial have been hammering witnesses with the same question over the past week – how many illegal immigrants live in the city of Hazleton?

No one has been able to provide a definitive answer – until Tuesday.

Steven Camarota, director of research for the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, D.C., testified that between 1,500 and 3,400 illegal immigrants live in Hazleton.

And while illegal immigrants cost the federal government an average of $2,700 in services more than they pay in taxes on a national level, Camarota estimates that illegal immigrants in Hazleton consume more than $5,000 in local and state services more than they pay in taxes.

By KENT JACKSON
Staff writer

SCRANTON – Hazleton has 1,500 to 3,400 illegal immigrants, and their households consume more in city services than they pay in taxes, a demographer estimated Tuesday.

Steven Camarota, research director at the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, D.C., was the first witness during the trial over Hazleton’s Illegal Immigration Relief Act to gauge the size of the city’s illegal immigrant community.

Plaintiffs suing in federal court to prevent the law from taking effect objected to Camarota’s testimony and said when testifying before Congress, Camarota always speaks of the cost of immigration.

By KENT JACKSON
Staff writer

SCRANTON — Four officers rushed to Pine Street Playground after hearing about a gun incident, which illustrates constraints that police faced as crime turned more serious and pushed Hazleton toward approving an immigration ordinance about which Police Chief Robert Ferdinand testified Tuesday.

In the trial determining the constitutionality of the city’s Illegal Immigration Relief Act, Ferdinand testified that when officers arrived at Pine Street they questioned adults, found a sword, two baseball bats and a golf club under the slide, and closed the playground.