Elvis Soto's variety store used to make money. But few customers have been walking through his door lately, and his merchandise _ calling cards, cell phones, car stereos, clothing _ is collecting dust on the shelves.
With bills mounting, Soto might have to take another job to stay afloat financially, and may even close the store.
On Wednesday, a tough, first-of-its-kind law targeting illegal immigrants goes into effect in this small hillside city in northeastern Pennsylvania. But the evidence suggests many Hispanics _ illegal or otherwise _ have already left.
That, in turn, has hobbled the city's Hispanic business district, where some shops have closed and others are struggling to stay open.
"Before, it was a nice place," said Soto, 27, who came to the United States from the Dominican Republic a decade ago. "Now, we have a war against us. I am legal but I feel the pressure also."
The ordinance, approved by City Council in September, imposes fines on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and denies business permits to companies that give them jobs. The law empowers the city to investigate written complaints about a person's immigration status, using a federal database.
Mayor Lou Barletta, chief proponent of the new law, contends illegal immigrants have brought drugs, crime and gangs, overwhelming police and municipal budgets. He announced the crackdown in June, a month after two illegal immigrants from the Dominican Republic were charged in a fatal shooting.
At Isabel's Gifts, owner Isabel Rubio said business is so bad that she and her husband have put their house up for sale, moved into an apartment above their store and started dipping into their savings.
"I am in a lot of stress right now," said Rubio, 50, a Colombian who moved to Hazleton 24 years ago. "Every day, we hope to have a good day."
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/10/31/D8L3PSRG0.html
haha just reading the heading i knew this was about my hometown... illegals get out!
Looks like the crackdown won't happen.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061101/...ts_crackdown_9
Bienvenidos muchachos!
Knew it would be challenged. Hope it stays in effect.Originally Posted by cjules13
Personally, I hope the crackdown would happen. Just so, I'll be able to see the effects on PA's economy!
I'd sure hope laws like this pass at the federal level. In fact we should take further steps.
Even though this article seems to target Hispanics, and they're leaving this particular town voluntarily, I wouldn't mind rounding up and shipping out all illegal aliens, regardless or race, age, gender, etc.
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Krell, HelenaP, mountain_rage, mfgbypooter, Mels_Smileys45, excrement_cranium.
That's it for now. This list will be updated whenever I feel like it.
Don't underestimate underground economy, it's huge. Gov. doesn't like it, because they can't directly collect the taxes! Personally, I see this as a economic problem, not about illegals because we have not been taken care of the borders seriously by all adms. (dem. & republican parties) in the past! So that, we would address the root of the problem, regardless of race, age & gender of illegals.
the law which was passed seems somewhat redundant...its just to keep "illegals" out...illegal meaning not legal to be in the U.S. in the first place..why do we need a law to ban them??
its not a law to ban them, just a law to ban renters from renting to illegals completely. This law should be enacted right now in Texas. Hell, I just called on my previous employer for hiring illegals and housing them in his rental properties.
The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of 'liberalism' they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.
Why would you get rid of your cheap labour??? There wont be anyone left to do those pain in the ass jobs.
Anyone upset or offended by my post please follow the link and let your opinions be known.
http://www.zeropaid.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=55492
Heard them all this way . . we have plenty of apples to pick in Washington.
I'm thinking of a starting some watermelon plantations.
I can almost smell the profits . . . ahhhh, acres and acres of profit, tax shelter and mariachi music.
.
whoa, Im not getting rid of cheap labor, just illegals that work. Cheap labor is High School children. Teach them the value of a dollar.
The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of 'liberalism' they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.
“Judge James Munley ruled that landlords, tenants and businesses that cater to Hispanics faced irreparable harm from the laws.
”This would be true “Only” if those landlords and businesses were catering to an “Illegal Hispanic Clientele.”
Munley wrote that the city "offers only vague generalizations about the crime allegedly caused by illegal immigrants, but has nothing concrete to back up these claims." The city also failed to provide statistics on the number of illegal immigrants living in Hazleton.
Why would numbers matter? Illegal is Illegal ? The Law only applies to Illegal Residents.
Furthermore, Munley wrote the plaintiffs have a "reasonable probability" of getting the laws declared unconstitutional.
This would be the real crime!
WARNING: This posting may contains thoughts and ideas that are not consistent with or in keeping with the policies and ideas expressed by Barack Hussein Obama and/or the Democrat party. Accordingly, you are hereby notified that the thoughts, ideas and facts presented in it may constitute hate speech or what Lefties may consider Racist, may cause discomfort or offense to Democrats, liberals, non-achievers, and the wealth-envy.
Personally, I don't care about cracking down on illegals. Currently, a lot of States are not getting their fair share of funds from the Fed., so they are running in red ink. I would just like to know more about how much of underground economy would be gone from PA's crackdown, as a statistical sample! Since one one can keep track of underground economy, I would like to see the crackdown happen. Many laws on illegals are already on the books. It's just, they are NOT fully enforced!
And Krell you can send them my way. Yeah baby!
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