Other Anti-Immigrant Ordinances Around the Nation

Hazleton, PA

Hazleton, a small former coal-mining town in central Pennsylvania, made national headlines in July as it was the first town in the U.S. to pass an “Illegal Immigration Relief Act ”. Since July, the ACLU and other local organizations and residents have been actively challenging the ordinance in court. Despite numerous amendments and newly proposed ordinances, the city of Hazleton continues to face injunctions and has been unsuccessful in enforcing the laws. In addition, protective orders were issued to preserve the anonymity of the plaintiffs listed as Jane/John Doe. A tentative trial date has been set for August 2007; however, many believe that the case will go to the U.S. Supreme Court, which could take as long as 5 years.

12/15/06 -- Plaintiffs Do Not Have to Disclose Immigration Status (PRLDEF Press Release)
10/31/06 -- Temporary Restraining Order against City of Hazleton
10/31/06 -- Amended Complaint Against the City of Hazleton
08/15/06 -- Hazleton Residents Sue to Halt Harsh Anti-Immigrant Law
08/15/06 -- Plaintiffs' Complaint Against the City of Hazleton
07/11/06 -- Open Letter to Hazleton - Puerto Rican Legal Defense Education Fund

Escondido, CA

In December of 2006, the city of Escondido agreed to a PERMANENT injunction against its controversial anti-immigrant ordinances and must pay the plaintiffs $90,000 in legal fees. The decision is a result of what the attorneys argued as fundamental constitutional problems. The ordinances required landlords to submit proof of their tenants' immigration status to the city, who would then submit the information to the federal government for verification. If tenants were found to be undocumented, landlords would be given ten days to evict them or face penalties. Escondido was the largest city in the nation to pass such a law. Of the 142,00 residents, Latinos comprise 42% of the population.

12/15/06 -- Escondido, CA Backs Down from Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (ACLU Press Release)
12/15/06 -- Judge's Order for Permanent Injunction
11/13/06 -- City Manager's Interpretation Memo
11/13/06 -- City of Escondido - Response to Temporary Restraining Order
11/03/06 -- Lawsuit Against City of Escondido

Avon Park, FL

A proposed ordinance modeled after Hazleton’s anti-immigrant laws was rejected in July of 2006 after massive protests and much heated debate. The move to dismiss the ordinances was made because the city council had not been provided with sufficient evidence that undocumented immigrants were responsible for higher crime, failing schools, and over stretched public service systems as the mayor had asserted.

07/25/06 -- Avon Park Ordinance Fails
07/10/06 -- Open Letter to the Mayor - Immigrant Justice Project, Southern Poverty Law Center
07/10/06 -- A Florida Mayor Turns to an Immigration Curb to Fix a Fading City

Related Links

"Reclaiming Our Communities Toolkit" (Fair Immigration Reform Movement)
Puerto Rican Legal Defense Education Fund (PRLDEF): Hazleton Page
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Immigrant Rights Project
U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services - Dept. of Homeland Security
A Day Without An Immigrant
National Council of La Raza - Immigration Program