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New Haven and Hazleton, Pa., two Northeastern cities led by descendants of Italian immigrants, are just 200 miles from each other on a map. But they are worlds apart when it comes to dealing with illegal immigration. Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, a Republican, has said that illegal immigration is “destroying” his working-class city of 30,000 and driving up crime. He pushed through an ordinance copied by towns and cities around the nation that would penalize landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and businesses that hire them. A federal judge could rule as early as this week on its constitutionality.

New Haven’s John DeStefano, a Democrat, has embraced illegal immigrants as an important part of New Haven’s economic and social fabric. The city of 125,000 already prohibits police from asking about their immigration status.

On Tuesday, DeStefano launched a program to provide illegals with ID cards that will enable them to open bank accounts and give them access to many city services.

How did two Northeastern cities wind up on opposite sides of the issue? One main reason given is that New Haven, the home of Yale University, has a long and rich history of liberal politics, unlike Hazleton, a conservative city in the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, 95 miles from Philadelphia.

New Haven “does have a tradition of championing the causes of outsiders,” said Scott McLean, a political science professor at Quinnipiac University who lives in New Haven. “New Haven sees itself as a leader in these kinds of policies.”

Ray Sanchez, a 36-year-old laborer, was one of 250 people who applied for an ID card Tuesday in New Haven. He said it would make it easier to open a bank account, which means he won’t have to keep his cash stashed in secret places. It would also let him get a library card, use banks and learn English.

“We need to send money to the places we come from. For me, I feel better. If the police catch me, I have identification now,” Sanchez said.

This port city is about one-third white, one third black and one-third Hispanic, with an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 illegal immigrants, according to New Haven officials.

From: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3410370

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