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Immigration See other Immigration Articles Title: Hispanics Fleeing Hazleton, Pennsylvania Like Roaches With The Light On 10/31/2006 Hispanics Fleeing Hazleton, Pennsylvania Like Roaches With The Light On This small hillside city in Northeastern Pennsylvania has yet to enforce a tough, first-of-its-kind law targeting illegal immigrants, but evidence suggests that many Hispanics - illegal or otherwise - have already left. That has hobbled the city’s Hispanic business district, where shops that flourished six months ago have closed or are struggling to stay open. “Before, [Hazleton] 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.” Mayor Lou Barletta, who championed the law, contends illegal immigrants have brought drugs, crime and gangs to the city, overwhelming police and municipal budgets. He announced the crackdown in June, a month after two illegal immigrants from the Dominican Republic were charged with killing a 29-year-old man. The ordinance, approved by City Council last month and scheduled to take effect Wednesday, imposes fines on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and denies business permits to companies that give them jobs. The law empowers the city’s Code Enforcement Office to investigate written complaints about a person’s immigration status, using a database operated by the federal government. Opponents have vowed a legal battle to overturn the law. Barletta said he was convinced the latest ordinance would be upheld in the courts. “We’re going to fight tooth and nail to be able to enforce the ordinance. It is as bulletproof as we can get it,” he said. Hispanics began settling in large numbers in Hazleton several years ago, lured from New York, Philadelphia and other cities by cheap housing, low crime, and work in factories and on farms. The city estimates its population has increased from 23,000 to 31,000 in the last six years, with Hispanics representing 30 percent of the population. Support for the mayor among white residents appears to be broad. Many resent the newcomers, complaining about rising crime and overburdened schools. “You don’t like the big-city stuff coming here,” said insurance agent Vincent Santopoli, 49, a lifelong resident. “We’re not used to it.” Barletta said he sympathized with struggling Hispanic business owners. Still, he said ” my goal was to make Hazleton one of the toughest cities in America for illegal aliens. Today, if I was an illegal alien, I certainly wouldn’t pick Hazleton as my home.” Crime statistics for the last few months are not yet available, but Chief Bob Ferdinand said he had heard from his officers that they were not responding to as many calls. “Things appear to be quieter and appear to have calmed down somewhat,” he said. Somewhat, but not entirely. On Oct. 20, police say, a legal immigrant from the Dominican Republic shot and killed two Hispanic men, one of whom was in the country illegally, at an intersection on the city’s northwest side. Todd Betterly, 37, who was awakened by the gunshots, said the slayings were proof that Barletta’s efforts were necessary. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to find out who belongs here and who doesn’t,” he said. Betterly was referring to a second ordinance, also set to go into effect Wednesday, that requires tenants to register their name, address and phone number at City Hall and pay $10 for a rental permit. Landlords who fail to make sure their tenants are registered will face a $1,000 fine, as well as a levy of $250 per tenant per day. The goal is to discourage illegal immigrants from trying to rent in Hazleton. Rudy Espinal, head of the Hazleton Hispanic Business Association, said many Hispanics had left the city in recent months, but he said it could be that legal immigrants now view Hazleton as unwelcoming and have decided to go elsewhere. Pennsylvania native Kim Lopez agreed. Lopez and her husband, Rudy, a Mexican immigrant, closed their grocery store on Oct. 1 after business tailed off dramatically over the summer. They lost more than $10,000 - their life savings. “Everyone was running scared and left town,” said Kim Lopez, 39. “We had customers who came in who were legal citizens and they didn’t want the harassment and hassle and told us they were leaving.” The Lopezes had lived frugally for five years so they could save enough money to open the Lopez Mexican Store in May. “We went without a lot to open this store,” Kim Lopez said. “That was our dream and within a few months it was gone, everything.”
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