Several of the individuals involved in the legal battle against Hazleton's "Illegal Immigration Relief Act"; (IIRA) were invited to New York City to participate in a panel discussion about that case and the local regulation of immigration. The Office of Social Justice Initiatives at Columbia University School of Law sponsored the panel discussion entitled "Local Regulation of Immigration: The Hazleton, PA Case".

The panel discussed the history of Hazleton's and its impact on Hazleton's Latino community. The panel also discussed other cases involving local immigration ordinances, as well as the constitutional law issues involved.

The law professors and students were very interested in the IIRA, which was struck down by a federal judge in August 2007. That decision prevented Hazleton from putting the IIRA into effect. Hazleton is appealing the decision.

From left to right, immigration attorney George Barron, Esquire, Rudy Espinal of the Hazleton Hispanic Business Association, Clare Huntington, visiting Professor of Law at Columbia University School of Law, Omar Jadwat, Esquire, of the ACLU Immigrant Rights Project.