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Kalahari waterpark and hotel complex in Poconos holds colorful grand opening

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Two men shot two hours apart in Hazleton, two in custody after chase through city

<p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>In Focus</p><br><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Barletta </div></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_Columnshot-1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Bill O&#8217;Boyle </div></div></div>
<p>HAZLETON &#8212; The city&#8217;s native son returned Wednesday to talk about threats at home.</p><p>U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, said he enjoys coming home and he got to renew friendships with about 50 members of the Hazleton Rotary Club at Genetti&#8217;s on Route 309.</p><p>Barletta gave an update on goings-on in Washington and he took questions from the audience. He talked about his family and his Yankees. He was at ease speaking to the group, but he showed his deep concern for the threat of terrorism in the United States.</p><p>The issue of illegal immigration brought Barletta to the national stage. When he was mayor of Hazleton, Barletta felt his city faced a serious financial dilemma because of illegal immigrants residing in the city but not paying taxes.</p><p>Barletta contended that his city&#8217;s population doubled while its tax revenue stayed the same.</p><p>Barletta was concerned about providing municipal services, like police and fire protection, for a city that was growing in people, but not financially. Barletta took the fight to court, but lost. Meanwhile, he left City Hall for Congress, now serving his third 2-year term.</p><p><strong>Homeland Security</strong></p><p>In Washington, as a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, Barletta has even more serious concerns about people coming into the country. But these people are not just immigrants. They include U.S. citizens who have been identified as trained terrorists.</p><p>Barletta says the Americans have traveled to Syria for training with the terrorist group ISIS. He said they are allowed back into the country when their training is complete.</p><p>&#8220;The goal of ISIS is to attack us here on our soil and to threaten our way of life,&#8221; Barletta said. &#8220;There is no doubt in my mind that they will continue to do this.&#8221;</p><p>Barletta said he has expressed concern about Syrian refugees being admitted to the U.S. At a recent House Homeland Security Committee hearing he quizzed experts on the extent of U.S. intelligence gathering capabilities while the State Department considers admitting up to 2,000 Syrian refugees in the coming year.</p><p>At that hearing, Barletta noted that Syria is a hotbed for terrorism, and he questioned witnesses at the hearing regarding America&#8217;s ability to properly vet those under consideration for refugee status and relocation to the the United States.</p><p>Barletta said the United States has to take a serious stand on the issue. He also said any U.S. citizen who goes to Syria to train with ISIS should not be allowed back into the country.</p><p>&#8220;They are traitors,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And traitors should not be allowed to come back into this country.&#8221;</p><p>Barletta said the U.S. intelligence agencies are watching the ISIS-trained Americans, but he said it&#8217;s an uncomfortable situation. Barletta said ISIS is using social media to recruit potential members. He said they monitor the sites to search for people who express discontent with the U.S. and its policies.</p><p>&#8220;As we prepare to celebrate July 4th, we must do everything we can to protect our country and our people from these threats,&#8221; he said.</p><p><strong>Enemy from within</strong></p><p>Barletta said the U.S. already knows that &#8220;our enemies want to kill us&#8221; and that they are preying on home-grown sympathizers already present in this country.</p><p>&#8220;The last thing we should be doing is throwing open the door and admitting Syrian refugees, when we have no idea whatsoever who they really are,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The discussion was kind of a heavy topic for the lunch crowd at the Rotary meeting, but the fact that Barletta chose to discuss it indicates a serious concern on his part for the threat of terrorism in the U.S.</p><p>There was some talk about other issues, like how the government has too much office space and how he and his Public Buildings and Management Subcommittee has saved taxpayers some $2.5 billion in two short years. And there was talk about increasing the minimum wage and the U.S. Supreme Court decision to make same-sex marriage legal.</p><p>Barletta even discussed the 2016 presidential election, urging the Rotarians to get involved and to learn all they can about the candidates.</p><p>But on this day, Barletta, now the grandfather of three, talked about his major concern. He wanted to let the 50 Rotarians know about the serious threat of terrorism on U.S. soil.</p><p>He wanted them to know because he wants every American to know.</p><br>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.

In Focus: Native son Lou Barletta returns to Hazleton to talk about threats at home