Washington, DC – The Supreme Court ordered a federal appeals court today to reconsider its September 2010 decision to block an anti-immigrant city ordinance in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. The Third US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law, which gave way to similar legislation in Arizona, preempted federal jurisdiction. Eliseo Medina, International Secretary-Treasurer of the Service Employees International Union issued the following statement:

“Hazleton officials should not declare victory. The fight against harsh anti-immigrant legislation that undermines our country's values of fairness and justice continues. The Supreme Court’s order for a second review of the city’s anti-immigrant ordinance in no way forecasts the final outcome.

Policies like Hazleton’s are divisive and ineffective. They do nothing to solve our immigration problems and if other localities followed suit, it would result in hundreds of different immigration policies, instead of the uniform federal law that is required by the U.S. Constitution. This is yet another example of the urgent need for a federal response to our nation’s broken immigration system and we urge lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to work together to develop comprehensive immigration legislation.”

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