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Trump Office Opens in Hazleton

HAZLETON — With just over a week until the Pennsylvania primary, Donald Trump’s campaign opened a second office in the area. Trump’s new offic...
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HAZLETON -- With just over a week until the Pennsylvania primary, Donald Trump's campaign opened a second office in the area.

Trump's new office opened on Saturday in Hazleton, a city where illegal immigration has been a divisive topic. Hazleton's illegal immigration relief act created a decade ago was struck down as unconstitutional.

Donald Trump supporters packed the candidates new campaign office on South Church Street in Hazleton. They were excited about the candidate they believe will win the Republican nomination.

Not only is the campaign focused on getting votes for Trump, but also delegates who have pledged to support him.

"My ideology is more in line with Cruz, but I am not looking at that right now. I am looking at the person who is going to get the job done," said Republican delegate Gloria Lee Snover.

Republican Congressman Lou Barletta says Trump has tapped into his constituents long-standing concerns about illegal immigration.

"There are a lot of Reagan Democrats here as well as blue collar voters who really feel not only are their voices not being heard in Washington, but that their votes do not matter either," Barletta said.

Back in 2006, Barletta, then the mayor of Hazleton, and the city were thrust into the national spotlight after the city passed an ordinance punishing local businesses and landlords who rented to or employed illegal immigrants.

"Donald Trump has been getting the same criticism that I have took for a long time, 10 years ago as mayor," Barletta added.

Some Trump detractors believe the candidate's views on immigration could encourage hate crimes.

On Thursday, protestors demonstrated outside a Republican fundraiser on Long Island, New York, in the same town where in 2008, an immigrant from Ecuador was killed by a mob of teens.

Cesar Soriano, the owner of a furniture store along North Wyoming Street in Hazleton believes Trump's campaign could create conflict.

"It will obviously. I mean, especially anywhere that there are Mexicans or Spanish-speaking people, there is going to be trouble," Soriano said.

People we spoke with in the Sazon Latino restaurant said Trump has a right to campaign anywhere he wants.

"His ideas might ignite some other people to think the same way and stuff like that, but we live in a democracy," said Samuel Porro of Hazleton.

Barletta said because he is co-chair of the Trump campaign in Pennsylvania, he was able to select the location of the office in Hazleton.

The Pennsylvania primary is Tuesday, April 26.

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