Real World

If some small city in Pennsylvania gets it, how come our scum sucking politicians can't? Chelsea, where I live now, is exactly as this town with respect to illegals. It's overrun. Crime and gangs are rampant. Prostitution and drug use are sky high. The city is a total shiithole, and the massive invasion of illegals is to blame. For Chelsea it's too late. This problem started in the 80's when I was a kid. With the Hispanic pop now running around 60%, there is no way that a similar bill would ever be implemented. Good for this town in realizing it needs to act now before it becomes to late. They don't want to become a Chelsea that's for sure.


BTW, notice the slant/lean the article is written with. Can anyone point out the subliminal phrases?

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/10/31/D8L3PSRG0.html

Hispanics Flee Pa. Town Before Crackdown

Oct 31 2:04 PM US/Eastern

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM
Associated Press Writer

HAZLETON, Pa.


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."

Opponents sued on Monday to block the law and a companion measure, saying they trample on the federal government's exclusive power to regulate immigration.

"These ordinances are nothing more than an officially sanctioned witch hunt," said Cesar Perales, president of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, a group representing plaintiffs in the case. They include the Hazleton Hispanic Business Association, several illegal immigrants, landlords and a restaurateur.

The mayor said he would fight all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary, saying the ordinance is "as bulletproof as we can get it."

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 the availability of work in nearby factories and farms. The city, situated 80 miles from Philadelphia, estimates its population has increased from 23,000 to 31,000 over the past six years, with Hispanics now representing 30 percent of the population.

No one knows how many of the new arrivals came to the United States illegally, but assimilating such a large number of people, many of whom speak little English, in such a short amount of time has been difficult.

Many white residents resent the newcomers, complaining about rising crime and overburdened schools. Tensions have flared over relatively minor annoyances such as loud music and double parking.

"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, who has risen from political obscurity to become a darling of anti-illegal immigration activists nationwide, said he sympathizes with struggling Hispanic business owners. But he said the fact their revenues are down is proof the city had a problem with illegal immigration.

"I've said from the beginning my goal was to make Hazleton one of the toughest cities in America for illegal aliens," he said. "Today, if I was an illegal alien, I certainly wouldn't pick Hazleton as my home."

Police Chief Bob Ferdinand said his officers appear to be responding to fewer calls. But on Oct. 20, a legal immigrant from the Dominican Republic was accused of shooting and killing two Hispanic men, one in the country illegally.

Todd Betterly, 37, who was awakened by the gunshots, said the killings are proof the crackdown is necessary.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to find out who belongs here and who doesn't," he said. "If we could have stopped one murder by knowing where these people are, isn't it worth it?"

A second ordinance going into effect Wednesday 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 can be fined $1,000, plus a penalty of $250 per tenant per day. The goal is to discourage illegal immigrants from even trying to rent in Hazleton.

A 32-year-old Mexican who slipped into the United States nine years ago to find work said he has no intention of registering.

"What is the mayor gaining by this law? I'm not a drug trafficker, I don't run around in gangs. I do my job and I go home to my family," said the married father of two, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of his immigration status.

Pennsylvania native Kim Lopez and her husband, Rudy, a Mexican immigrant, closed their grocery store 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 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."

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Pujo

It's funny how people say illegal immigration is bad for the economy, but then the immigrants leave and stores are empty. More people isn't bad for the economy if they have jobs and are also consumers, and if you give them a chance to pay taxes they can contribute the same things we do.

Harry Boy

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Harry Boy (Genius)

In The Absence Of Law And Order Society Will Surely Destroy Itself

Real World

So the fact that a couple of convenience stores that catored to psanish speakers is loosing business means that illegals are good for the economy afterall?

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

sdaniels7114

I dunno who you're trying to kid. Chelsea's been a dump since time immemorial.

My girlfriend told me to kiss her where it stinks, so I took her to Chelsea!!

That joke predates Nem for heaven's sake.

Harry Boy

Kissing your girl where it stinks:
Try taking her to Central Square in Cambridge (Bangladesh)

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Harry Boy (Genius)

In The Absence Of Law And Order Society Will Surely Destroy Itself

Real World

Regardless of when Chelsea went to shiit, the town in the article is doing what it needs to do to ensure it doesn't end up going to shiit too.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Pujo

I'm really getting sick of arguing on these forums (not with you, Real World, but with people who just want to be jerks), but here goes anyway:

I don't think more people hurts the economy unless a community is literally at the point of overpopulation. Sure, immigrants take jobs but they're also consumers that create new jobs. If there's a problem with them leeching off of welfare, it's the welfare that needs to be fixed. I'm not saying we should open the border and let everyone in, but I don't think we're being honest about the economic impact.

Real World

I agree with the argueing. There is far too little discussion, and far to much irrelevent criticism.

As for the impact of immigration, controlled flow is fine. Immigration becomes a problem when it is uncontrolled, unducumented, and and unpunished. What too many do not understand is that cheap labor and illegal labor are two very different things. The reasons for controlling and documenting the flow of foriegnors are many and far reaching. For example, documentation allows you to know who is coming in, and therefore, who should stay or go. Guidelines for entrance ensure a country that it permits the most equitable, and fiscally sound mix of indivduals into its society. Examples would be like this: Few, if any elderly immigrants as they do not work, and cost the government (Joe Taxpayer) money. Controlled amounts of uneducated, unskilled people as they will have a difficulty learning language and culture. Also, those in this class would have to have restrictions on children. You don't want to let in a guy that is going to work for $8 an hour who has 3-5 kids as those kids will cost tens of thousands in education alone while his tax contribution would be far less. Also, by controlling a border and documenting individuals through an application process, you could weed out criminals & the diseased. Would you want to let in HIV positive people, or people who have a history of crime? These are just a few examples as there are many more.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Turk

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.