The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down the Hazleton immigration ordinance. That ordinance sought to prevent housing rentals to illegal aliens and to take away the business licenses of companies that employ illegal aliens.

Per chief Judge Theodore McKee:

"It is ... not our job to sit in judgment of whether state and local frustration about federal immigration policy is warranted. We are, however, required to intervene when states and localities directly undermine the federal objectives embodied in statutes enacted by Congress."

Per Omar Jadwat of the American Civil Liberties Union (which, together with illegal aliens, were suing Hazleton):

"This is a major defeat for the misguided, divisive and expensive anti-immigrant strategy that Hazleton has tried to export to the rest of the country."

If you like it better when the ACLU loses, help me oppose illegal immigration in smart ways.

Voting is definitely something you need to do, and we do need legislative attempts like that in Hazleton or in Arizona because some times they work.

However, much easier ways to oppose illegal immigration are at the link. Those who support or enable illegal immigration are extremely vulnerable to being discredited, and that would reduce their ability to push their agenda. The problem is that few others realize that and engage in things that aren't as effective such as street protests or just ranting in echo chambers. If you want to reduce the ACLU's power, you have to get out there and show their supporters how they're wrong.

UPDATE: Hazleton mayor and congressional candidate Lou Barletta says he'll take the case to the Supreme Court.