Surge of Local Ordinances Target Undocumented Immigrants

An ordinance passed this month in

Farmers Branch, Texas, is the lat

est in a series of nearly a hundred measures proposed by local governments across the country to rid themselves of their undocumented populations.

The city's six-member council unanimously declared that landlords and businesses that rent to or hire undocumented immigrants will be penalized, city authorities will be allowed to screen individuals detained by police for legal status and English will be the official language of their jurisdictions.

The Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch has a 37.2 percent Latino population, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund has tracked more than 90 local ordinances which have sprouted in the nation throughout the latter half of this year.

Close to 50 of these measures contain elements similar to the Farmers Branch law. Of these, 21 have passed, 13 have been rejected or tabled, and the rest are still under consideration.

John Trasviña, newly named president and general counsel of MALDEF, told Hispanic Link News Service, "There is no pattern to the cities that are trying to develop these measures. All it takes is one member of its council to introduce the legislation."

Another common proposal would deputize local police to enforce federal immigration regulations.

Taneytown, Md., is the most recent case of a municipality approving an English-only law. It passed Nov. 13.

National Hispanic and civil rights groups such as MALDEF, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union have ...