I’m surprised you haven’t covered it here, don’t know if Bryan has it at HA.

Well Son, things like this.

July 26, 2007

District Court Ruling is Not the End of the Road for Local
Anti-Illegal Immigration Ordinances
The Right of Local Governments to Protect Citizenry
Will Ultimately be Decided by U.S. Supreme Court, Predicts FAIR
Washington DC – Today’s ruling by U.S. District Court Judge James Munley, striking down ordinances in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, aimed at curtailing illegal immigration in that community is a disappointing, but not unexpected development, said the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). “This is an issue that will ultimately have to be ruled upon by the United States Supreme Court, and we are confident that when the high court reviews the facts of this case, they will side with the right of local communities to take steps to protect themselves against the destructive impact of mass illegal immigration,” predicted Dan Stein, president of FAIR.

FAIR and its legal affiliate, the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), worked closely with Hazleton leaders to craft ordinances that comply with federal immigration laws and participated in defending the ordinances in court. In response to the district court ruling, FAIR and IRLI are joining with Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta in an appeal of the decision before the 3rd Circuit Court.

“The challenge to the Hazleton ordinance was brought by well-financed outside interests that are fundamentally opposed to just about any enforcement of U.S. immigration laws,” said Stein. “They were able to select a judge who was politically inclined to side with them. But today’s ruling is not the end of the road for the Hazleton ordinances or the many similar ones instituted by cities and towns all across the United States. Rather it is a step in a legal process that will inevitably lead to the Supreme Court.

“What is at stake, in addition to the right of local communities to protect themselves from the federal government’s malfeasance with regard to immigration enforcement, is also the right of local communities to govern how business and commerce are conducted within their jurisdictions,” said Stein. “Neither Hazleton, nor any of the other cities with similar policies, are regulating immigration, which is clearly an exclusive federal prerogative. Rather, they are setting rules for businesses and landlords who operate in Hazleton in a way that is entirely consistent with what local governments do every single day.”

The longstanding failure of the federal government to effectively enforce its own immigration laws is imposing severe burdens on state and local government. These jurisdictions are forced to provide education, emergency health care and other services, as well as deal with crimes committed by people who are in the country illegally. “It is simply unreasonable for the courts to leave these local communities with no legal recourse to deal with a serious problem that affects public safety and imposes significant fiscal burdens on them,” argued Stein.

“We are confident that when higher courts review this case they will conclude that Hazleton’s ordinances are a reasonable and lawful response to a real problem,” concluded Stein.

Some things worth knowing about that I didn’t devote separate posts to:…

Not sure but Mark Levin’s group could investigate this issue.