“I support the actions taken by the state of Arizona and I welcome them to the fight that I started in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, four years ago with the passing of Hazleton’s Illegal Immigration Relief Act.

“Five years ago, I went to Washington, D.C., to meet with officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. I told them about the increased presence of illegal aliens in my city and the increase in gang activity and crime. I also explained the impact this was having on my city’s small budget. Do you know what I got in return? A coffee mug, a pat on the back, and a, `Good luck with that.’

That’s why I support any government entity’s right to protect its citizens and its budget, especially when the federal government has not only allowed this to happen but, in most cases, enabled it.

“When we passed our ordinance we were sued by 37 lawyers and the ACLU. I was called every name in the book, and they bused people into Hazleton to protest our law. I know exactly what the governor of Arizona and the supporters of this new law are going through because we lived it right here in Hazleton.

“I have no doubt that Hazleton’s Illegal Immigration Relief Act will be upheld by the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals. We expect to receive that ruling very soon.”