touche!
Natalie Villafranca holds an American flag as her mother, Elizabeth Villafranca, holds a sign in front of city hall in Farmers Branch, Texas, on Saturday (photo from MSNBC dated Nov. 2006).
Posted on 05/12/2007 8:59:40 PM PDT by SittinYonder
FARMERS BRANCH, Texas -- Farmers Branch residents on Saturday became the first in the nation to pass a regulation aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from renting apartments.
Voters in the Dallas suburb approved the measure, which requires apartment managers to verify that potential renters are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants.
The issue had sparked heated protests and debates.
One opponent of the measure likened the decision to segregation.
"This is going to be a black spot on Farmers Branch," Elizabeth Villafranca said. "This is going to be right in the column with the sitting in the back of the bus and not using bathrooms that whites use."
However, supporters said the ordinance helps the city enforce the law.
"I think people like [Villafranca] spread a lot of misinformation. They say a lot of things that aren't true," Councilman Tim O' Hare said. "Farmers Branch is a great place to live. It's a beautiful place. And it's a place that respects the law and wants to uphold the law."
Mayor Bob Phelps solidly opposed the ordinance and released a letter denouncing the ban.
Phelps said that vandals targeted his home with rocks and graffiti this week because of his stance on the ban.
The city plans to enforce the ban beginning May 22, but opponents said they would seek legal action to stop it.
An early voting turnout of almost 25 percent shattered all previous voter turnout records.
The United States Department of Justice monitored the election to ensure polling places were in compliance with the Voting Rights Act.
Council members first approved the ban in November, saying the federal government had failed to address illegal immigration.
The story doesn't say what the vote count was, but there was a "record breaking" 25 percent turnout.
Guess I know where to move now.
DOJ VRA ping ... Protecting the ability of non-citizens and non-residents to vote (and vote twice!) in Southern elections every year.
It's a little long for the water tower, but it'll look good on the city's website.
LMAO
I've had multiple opportunities to watch DOJ folks "monitor" elections under the Voting Rights Act. The best thing that could happen is to let this piece of trash law expire so the federal government can stop abusing Southern states.
The state of Oklahoma passed a tough illegal immigration bill this week. Now, Farmers Branch.
The stone is starting to roll, and it might just roll through Washington, DC and crush a few of the staunch pro-illegals politicians.
The elected in Washington have tended to ignore the voters on this issue. Now, the voters are starting to make the needed changes at the local and state levels. Washington incumbents should be shaking in their incumbencies, if they continue to ignore the voters.
How many votes were cast?
How many for?
How many against?
From here we learn that 68% of the voters voted for the law.
From here we learn that:
More than 3,000 residents out of 14,100 registered voters participated during early balloting, which ended Tuesday. That's about 2,000 more than the total number who voted in each of the past two municipal elections, according to the Dallas County Elections Department.Could it be that the reporters working for TV stations just don't know jack sh!t about reporting? Oh, but they are pretty.
NO, It's NOT! There is a huge difference. Black people were American citizens, and they had rights as citizens that they were denied.
Illegals have NO rights. Deal with it! Go back to Mexico, and you can have rights there!
The DOJ is a friggin joke. Long live my southern friends!
Yes.
From here we learn that 68% of the voters voted for the law.
Thanks.
No kidding! I didn't think there was any place to go where we could have a day without an illegal. ;o)
“Illegals have NO rights”
You would never know it with the Bush administration. Americans must press 1 for English.
I live in Carrollton, Tx. which borders Farmers Branch to the north. The area has a heavy hispanic and asian immigrant population. We just ask that immigrants are legal, law abiding and good citizens regardless of ethnicity. Send illegals home to follow the correct procedures for legal entry. No drug dealers or criminals allowed entry. Listen up Feds...we the legal citizens have spoken.
It don't take no branes ta report sumptin dis big!!!
Silly me! What was I thinking. Of course, you're right. I must have been dreaming. ;o)
Farmers Branch — Rental ordinance
Ordinance to ban people from renting apartments if they cannot show proof of citizenship or legal residency.
For 4,058 67.6%
Against 1,941 32.4%
Precincts reporting Complete returns
Results as of 10:26:45 PM on Saturday, May 12, 2007
BUMP
Agree with the sentiment, although I think “ballot initiatives” are asinine and antithetical to republican (note small “r”) principles.
Mayor Bob Phelps solidly opposed the ordinance and released a letter denouncing the ban.”
The citizens of Farmers Branch need to recall the Mayor or just tar and feather him.
We don't have them in Georgia the way California and other states do, and I tend to agree with you.
The only times voters get involved in something like this are changes to the Constitution or ballot questions that are placed on the ballot by the legislature.
They're largely ignored because most folks can't figure out what they're all about, and it's a great way for the legislature to get spending projects passed by the voters.
“This is going to be right in the column with the sitting in the back of the bus...”
Umm, they aren’t even supposed to be on the bus at all, duh.
We tell felons that they can not vote, and they are criminals.
An illegal alien, by definition, is a criminal, so we have the right to tell them where they can not live and they do not have the right to vote on it.
.....Bob
We DO NOT have recall and initiatives in New Jersey. Despite my idiotic state reps and governor, I'll keep it that way. If my neighbors are dumb enough to support McGreevey and Corzine, what makes me think that they are qualified to vote on property taxes and gun rights?
Elizabeth Villafranca said. “This is going to be right in the column with the sitting in the back of the bus
“the bus back to mexico”
Amen to that.
even more so when we have to press 1 for spanish 2 for english
Precisely ... 'cause on a ballot it all just looks so nice, and who doesn't want to provide laptop computers for every fourth grader?
“Doesn’t “pressing 1 for English” just tighten your jaws?”
It tells me my govt. has betrayed me.
touche!
Natalie Villafranca holds an American flag as her mother, Elizabeth Villafranca, holds a sign in front of city hall in Farmers Branch, Texas, on Saturday (photo from MSNBC dated Nov. 2006).
We live close by FB TX and we don’t have that ordinance so I am hoping they all don’t try to move here in our little city.
Other than that we are thrilled it passed!
“the bus back to mexico”
We only wish. ;o) IF that bunch of traitors in DC gets their way, we'll be the ones in the back of the bus, on our way to Mexico. LOL That might not be such a bad idea. They're ALL up here. ;o)
I totally support this ordinance.
What’s wrong with assuring the people “legally” in your town are “legal”?
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkyfknkZGbZcArydXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE2NWNmYWxnBGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDNQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANGNjY1Xzc2/SIG=12k27i2pv/EXP=1179119716/**http%3a//www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1722178/posts%3fpage=13
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkyfknkZGbZcAoydXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE2NG90dTU0BGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANGNjY1Xzc2/SIG=1308qbbdq/EXP=1179119716/**http%3a//jurist.law.pitt.edu/hotline/2006/11/escondido-illegal-immigration.php
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Not quite first...Lotsa’ Luck...
The ACLU is having a meltdown because these Texans voted.
The margin of victory is consistent with the national sentiment against open borders.
bump to read later
That lady there is the president of the Farmers Branch chapter of LULAC (in case you didn’t already know).
Sec. 1324. Bringing in and harboring certain aliens
(a) Criminal penalties
(1)(A) Any person who -
(i) knowing that a person is an alien, brings to or attempts to
bring to the United States in any manner whatsoever such person
at a place other than a designated port of entry or place other
than as designated by the Commissioner, regardless of whether
such alien has received prior official authorization to come to,
enter, or reside in the United States and regardless of any
future official action which may be taken with respect to such
alien;
(ii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien
has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in
violation of law, transports, or moves or attempts to transport
or move such alien within the United States by means of
transportation or otherwise, in furtherance of such violation of
law;
(iii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an
alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in
violation of law, conceals, harbors, or shields from detection,
or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such
alien in any place, including any building or any means of
transportation;
(iv) encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter, or
reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of
the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be
in violation of law; or
(v)(I) engages in any conspiracy to commit any of the preceding
acts, or
(II) aids or abets the commission of any of the preceding acts,
shall be punished as provided in subparagraph (B).
(B) A person who violates subparagraph (A) shall, for each alien
in respect to whom such a violation occurs -
(i) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(i) or (v)(I)
or in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(ii), (iii), or
(iv) in which the offense was done for the purpose of commercial
advantage or private financial gain, be fined under title 18,
imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both;
(ii) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(ii), (iii),
(iv), or (v)(II), be fined under title 18, imprisoned not more
than 5 years, or both;
(iii) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(i), (ii),
(iii), (iv), or (v) during and in relation to which the person
causes serious bodily injury (as defined in section 1365 of title
18) to, or places in jeopardy the life of, any person, be fined
under title 18, imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both; and
(iv) in the case of a violation of subparagraph (A)(i), (ii),
(iii), (iv), or (v) resulting in the death of any person, be
punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for
life, fined under title 18, or both.
(2) Any person who, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact
that an alien has not received prior official authorization to come
to, enter, or reside in the United States, brings to or attempts to
bring to the United States in any manner whatsoever, such alien,
regardless of any official action which may later be taken with
respect to such alien shall, for each alien in respect to whom a
violation of this paragraph occurs -
(A) be fined in accordance with title 18 or imprisoned not more
than one year, or both; or
(B) in the case of -
(i) an offense committed with the intent or with reason to
believe that the alien unlawfully brought into the United
States will commit an offense against the United States or any
State punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year,
(ii) an offense done for the purpose of commercial advantage
or private financial gain, or
(iii) an offense in which the alien is not upon arrival
immediately brought and presented to an appropriate immigration
officer at a designated port of entry,
be fined under title 18 and shall be imprisoned, in the case of a
first or second violation of subparagraph (B)(iii), not more than
10 years, in the case of a first or second violation of
subparagraph (B)(i) or (B)(ii), not less than 3 nor more than 10
years, and for any other violation, not less than 5 nor more than
15 years.
(3)(A) Any person who, during any 12-month period, knowingly
hires for employment at least 10 individuals with actual knowledge
that the individuals are aliens described in subparagraph (B) shall
be fined under title 18 or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or
both.
(B) An alien described in this subparagraph is an alien who -
(i) is an unauthorized alien (as defined in section 1324a(h)(3)
of this title), and
(ii) has been brought into the United States in violation of
this subsection.
(4) In the case of a person who has brought aliens into the
United States in violation of this subsection, the sentence
otherwise provided for may be increased by up to 10 years if -
(A) the offense was part of an ongoing commercial organization
or enterprise;
(B) aliens were transported in groups of 10 or more; and
(C)(i) aliens were transported in a manner that endangered
their lives; or
(ii) the aliens presented a life-threatening health risk to
people in the United States.
(b) Seizure and forfeiture
(1) In general
Any conveyance, including any vessel, vehicle, or aircraft,
that has been or is being used in the commission of a violation
of subsection (a) of this section, the gross proceeds of such
violation, and any property traceable to such conveyance or
proceeds, shall be seized and subject to forfeiture.
(2) Applicable procedures
Seizures and forfeitures under this subsection shall be
governed by the provisions of chapter 46 of title 18 relating to
civil forfeitures, including section 981(d) of such title, except
that such duties as are imposed upon the Secretary of the
Treasury under the customs laws described in that section shall
be performed by such officers, agents, and other persons as may
be designated for that purpose by the Attorney General.
(3) Prima facie evidence in determinations of violations
In determining whether a violation of subsection (a) of this
section has occurred, any of the following shall be prima facie
evidence that an alien involved in the alleged violation had not
received prior official authorization to come to, enter, or
reside in the United States or that such alien had come to,
entered, or remained in the United States in violation of law:
(A) Records of any judicial or administrative proceeding in
which that alien's status was an issue and in which it was
determined that the alien had not received prior official
authorization to come to, enter, or reside in the United States
or that such alien had come to, entered, or remained in the
United States in violation of law.
(B) Official records of the Service or of the Department of
State showing that the alien had not received prior official
authorization to come to, enter, or reside in the United States
or that such alien had come to, entered, or remained in the
United States in violation of law.
(C) Testimony, by an immigration officer having personal
knowledge of the facts concerning that alien's status, that the
alien had not received prior official authorization to come to,
enter, or reside in the United States or that such alien had
come to, entered, or remained in the United States in violation
of law.
(c) Authority to arrest
No officer or person shall have authority to make any arrests for
a violation of any provision of this section except officers and
employees of the Service designated by the Attorney General, either
individually or as a member of a class, and all other officers
whose duty it is to enforce criminal laws.
(d) Admissibility of videotaped witness testimony
Notwithstanding any provision of the Federal Rules of Evidence,
the videotaped (or otherwise audiovisually preserved) deposition of
a witness to a violation of subsection (a) of this section who has
been deported or otherwise expelled from the United States, or is
otherwise unable to testify, may be admitted into evidence in an
action brought for that violation if the witness was available for
cross examination and the deposition otherwise complies with the
Federal Rules of Evidence.
(e) Outreach program
The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the
Attorney General and the Secretary of State, as appropriate, shall
develop and implement an outreach program to educate the public in
the United States and abroad about the penalties for bringing in
and harboring aliens in violation of this section.
It was just recently extended.
I have no problem with legal Mexicans trying to earn a buck. It is the illegal Mexicans trying to make a buck (note “make” vs “earn”). They have already demonstrated that they do not care to abide by our laws.
....Bob
Would that make us Graham Cracker bigots or is it Cracker Graham bigots?
I’m so grateful Texas is not on these lists.
Why? Why would this election bring their attention, instead of the areas where dead people vote. I suppose for the same reason the Justice dept. is suing some localities because they don't have enough 'hispanics' in office. Can't remember that town, but it did recently happen.
Hi Waspman. Farmer’s Branch has a large Mexican American population, not meaning illegal aliens. Most of them don’t like the invasion any better than any other citizen, and this proves it. Now the battle begins against them with tax payer financed “ngo’s’ like La Raza and the ACLU.
Wake up America!
Keep that in mind when Brownback starts with the 'I've changed my mind and now I'm against illegal immigration' crappola.
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