Thread: Two civil rights groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday

December 26,2006

By ANABELLE GARAY
Associated Press Writer


Two civil rights groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging a new law in a Dallas suburb that outlaws renting apartments to illegal immigrants, alleging the ordinance violates federal law and forces landlords to act as immigration officers.
The American Civil Liberties Union and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund filed the suit on behalf of residents and landlords in Farmers Branch, just north of Dallas. It is the third lawsuit brought against the city since the ordinance passed in November.

The lawsuit claims the measure, scheduled to take effect Jan. 12, is so poorly drafted that it excludes even legal immigrants from renting.

"Immigration enforcement must be left to the federal government, not each local municipality," said Lisa Graybill, legal director of the ACLU of Texas. "Otherwise Texas will end up with a patchwork system that is impractical and unenforceable."

Farmers Branch spokesman Tom Bryson said the city will not comment on pending litigation.

On Friday, the owners of three apartment complexes filed a lawsuit asking a federal court to declare the rent law unconstitutional. In another lawsuit filed earlier this month, a Farmers Branch resident alleged that the mayor repeatedly violated the state's open meetings laws to deliberate the ordinances.

The new law calls for property managers or owners to verify the immigration or citizenship status of apartment renters. The City Council also approved resolutions making English the city's official language and allowing authorities to become part of a federal program so they can enforce immigration laws.

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

More than 50 municipalities nationwide have considered, passed or rejected similar laws, but until now that trend hadn't been duplicated in Texas.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/12/26/D8M8MLDG0.html

I pray the silly lawsuits get tossed out, just like they should.

Dixie

Me too, I have been praying alot lately. Things just seem to be getting crazier and crazier. I think part of their desperate attempts to bully and push things through quickly is because more and more Americans are waking up and joining the fight. I do not think they expected this much opposition and are busy trying to force us into submission before we are able to turn this mess around.

You should change the title. They are not "civil rights" group but rather racial agitators and a bunch of communist lawyers.

AlturaCtwrote:

You should change the title. They are not "civil rights" group but rather racial agitators and a bunch of communist lawyers.

Well said however I think I will leave the title alone and make your statement huge so it will not be missed.

Leave this up to the Federal Government???

Even they are well aware that if it is left up to the Federal Government
that NOTHING will be done about Illegal Immigration. Except.... if they can shove it down out throats they will give Amnesty to all the Illegals and then bring in more on Work Programs.

McCain and Kennedy think they are so powerful that they do not have to do anything Americans want. They want to give all the millions of Illegal Aliens...Amnesty, path to citizenship AND Social Security from the jobs they took Illegally.

Is there no way to stop McCain, Kennedy, the President and all the like minded Pro Illegal's???
The harder we work to stop this idiotic plan....The faster they want to push it through.

Shadwrote:

Is there no way to stop McCain, Kennedy, the President and all the like minded Pro Illegal's???
The harder we work to stop this idiotic plan....The faster they want to push it through.

All we can do is when they push, we PUSH BACK!

You know what I think! They are really afraid of the Farmers Branch ordinances. They are going after them any way they can. They are petitioning, having the apartments go after them and now the ACLU. They are afraid it is a strong ordinance that will hold up in court. Most judges in border states know how much havoc illegals create so I'm sure they are not inclined make a decision in their favor.

Dixie

Dixiewrote:

You know what I think! They are really afraid of the Farmers Branch ordinances. They are going after them any way they can. They are petitioning, having the apartments go after them and now the ACLU. They are afraid it is a strong ordinance that will hold up in court. Most judges in border states know how much havoc illegals create so I'm sure they are not inclined make a decision in their favor.

I am betting that you are right!!!! That explains why they are pushing so hard. I hope it ends up biting them in the rear......that would be justice Bullies don't always win