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Chapter 14 – Section 1
How a Community Handles Issues
FEMALE SPEAKER:The small city of Hazletonin northeast Pennsylvania in an unlikely place to become a frontline in the immigration battle but it is.
MALE SPEAKER: I was worried.
FEMALE SPEAKER: RudyEspinal is a naturalized American, one of about 10,000 Latinos who calls Hazleton home.What worries him now is the tough anti-illegal immigrant law that Hazleton passed this summer. The law would fine landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and might cost them their license. Penalize companies who hire undocumented workers and mandate English as Hazleton’s official language. What changes have you seen here in Hazleton?
MALE SPEAKER: Well I have seen that few places have close like this restaurant here.
FEMALE SPEAKER: Does it hurt; does it hurt your feelings?
MALE SPEAKER: Actually it does, it does especially with all this debate about English only.
MALE SPEAKER: We are fighting back.
FEMALE SPEAKER: Mayor Lou Barletta blames the fact that violent crime doubled last year on illegal immigrants.
MALE SPEAKER: We had a 29 year old shot between the eyes by two illegal aliens; I can't sit back and watch this happening to our city.
FEMALE SPEAKER: Many politicians have been reluctant into take on this issue until now. Pennsylvania Republican Senator Rick Santorum who is in a toughly reelection fight has been a staunch ally of President Bush, but is breaking ranks and talking tough on immigration now the race against his opponent democrat Bob Casey has tightened.
FEMALE SPEAKER: It’s not just here in Pennsylvania, the debate over immigration reform could determine mid term elections across the country.
FEMALE SPEAKER: Immigration has become the main focus in at least five other races a Senate andHouse race in Arizona one House race in Colorado, a House race in Iowa and a race in New York. But immigrant groups warn that the issue may help win some elections today but it could back fire long term.
MALE SPEAKER: We know that 40,000 Hispanics turn 18 every month what kind of experience that they are going to have with those political parties.
FEMALE SPEAKER: But that’s not likely to bother politicians who are worried about winning this November.
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