Valley Park Mayor and City’s Attorneys to Hold News Conference to Discuss Federal Judge’s Decisive R

January 31, 2008

In a landmark ruling handed down on January 31, U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber decisively upheld the right of local governments to enforce laws against illegal immigration by denying business licenses to employers who hire illegal aliens. Judge Webber’s ruling rejected every argument presented by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund challenging Valley Park’s authority to suspend the licenses of businesses that employ illegal aliens.

The ruling in the case of Gray v. Valley Park is a precedent-setting decision that has national implications. The decision presents a clear invitation from the bench for state and local governments around the country to enact similar local ordinances.The importance of Judge Webber’s decision for the City of Valley Park and nationwide efforts to enact state and local laws to restrict illegal immigration will be discussed at a news conference to be held Friday February 1 at the Valley Park City Hall.

Who: Jeffrey Whitteaker, Mayor of Valley Park, Kris Kobach, Lead Counsel for Valley Park, Michael Hethmon, General Counsel, Immigration Reform Law Institute,Washington, D.C.

When & Where: February 1, 2008 at 1 p.m., City Hall, 320 Benton Street, Valley Park, Missouri 63008