Thread: Farmers Branch Blocked...For Now

Judge blocks Texas town's immigrant law By ANABELLE GARAY, Associated Press Writer
25 minutes ago



DALLAS - The town of Farmers Branch may not yet begin enforcing its voter-endorsed law barring the rental of apartments to most illegal immigrants, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Sam Lindsay extended his temporary restraining order blocking the law until June 19, when he plans another ruling on whether the measure can be enforced while it is subject to legal challenges.

During a hearing Tuesday, lawyers for the Dallas suburb acknowledged there were still "drafting issues" with the ordinance. They presented a document outlining how the ordinance could be salvaged if the court finds portions of it are flawed.

The ordinance requires managers to verify that renters are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants before leasing to them, with some exceptions. Violators face fines of up to $500, and each day would be considered a separate violation.

Attorneys for the city had no comment after the hearing.

Opponents of the ordinance have argued that it is unconstitutional, discriminatory and too vague.

Among other things, they contend the ordinance uses federal regulations on housing benefits for noncitizens to define who may rent an apartment in the city. Critics of the ordinance say those regulations exclude many people who are in this country legally, such those on student visas or on temporary high-tech work visas.

Lindsay granted a temporary restraining order May 21, a day before the ordinance was to take effect and more than a week after Farmers Branch voters approved the measure. It was the nation's first public vote on a local government measure to crack down on illegal immigration.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union contend poor families could be thrown out of homes because of the ordinance. And, the groups say, families in which some people are undocumented and others are citizens or legal immigrants could be forced to move or split up.

Since 1970, Farmers Branch has changed from a small, predominantly white community with a declining population to a city of almost 28,000 people, about 37 percent Hispanic, according to the Census Bureau.

Another Hazleton, Pa. I hope they are in contact with Barletta!

TyRANTosaur
Please post the link to this article. Thanks

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/4864049.html

A few weeks ago I heard one of the proponent saying the the opponents were using the slogan "let the people decide" and now that they have they are fighting them in the courts! Classic!

SAM you are right, i live in the dallas area and they had a debate on the local radio station and they said let the voters decide and we will abide by it.
well the voters said 68 to 32 to enforce these ordinances

now the anti american group ACLU and Maldef went back on their words and were filing suits the following monday and tuesday