State immigration laws face legal doubts

“It’s a tricky business when states and localities step into the traditional federal realm of cracking down on illegal immigration. A federal judge reinforced the point Thursday July 26, when he threw out a Pennsylvania town’s penalties for hiring or renting to illegal immigrants.

“Whatever frustrations officials of the City of Hazleton may feel about the current state of federal immigration enforcement, the nature of the political system in the United States prohibits the city from enacting ordinances that disrupt a carefully drawn federal statutory scheme,” U.S. District Judge James M. Munley wrote in the decision.

The ruling could have a chilling effect on states and cities that, over the last two years, have grown frustrated with Congress’ failure to stop illegal border crossings and are trying to combat the surge of illegal workers themselves.”

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