JURIST - Paper Chase: Dallas suburb voters back revised anti-illegal immigration ordinance

[JURIST] Voters in Farmers Branch, Texas [official website] approved a city ordinance [DOC text] Saturday which requires apartment renters to show proof of US residency and penalizes landlords who rent to illegal immigrants [JURIST news archive]. Landlords who do not comply with the law will face fines up to $500. The ordinance does not require minors and tenants who are 62 years of age and older to prove their immigration status, and allows lease renewals if the renters are currently tenants, the head of household or spouse is in the US legally, and the family includes only the spouse, their minor children or parents.

The ordinance was backed by 68 percent of voters and is a revision of an earlier ordinance set to take effect in January [JURIST reports]. The first ordinance was blocked when a judge issued a temporary restraining order after the Dallas suburb was sued [JURIST reports] by civil rights organizations, property owners and residents. The revised ordinance is set to take effect May 22, but opponents have promised to challenge the law in court. AP has more.

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