Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta’s (R) office announced Monday that an appeals court would hear his town’s case for their stringent anti-illegal immigration ordinance on Oct. 31 in Philadelphia — just days before he faces off against longtime Rep. Paul Kanjorksi (D) at the polls.

As mayor of one of the largest towns in the northeastern Pennsylvania district, Barletta earned national notoriety for spearheading ordinances that punished employers and landlords for hiring or renting to illegal immigrants and made English the official language of Hazleton in 2006.

Kanjorski and Barletta first faced each other in 2002, a contest the Congressman won with 56 percent of the vote. However, ethical concerns — including allegations of some Kanjorski earmarks that benefited his family members — have lead political observers to believe he is vulnerable.