Famers Branch Boycott Called By Latino Leaders Over Anti-Immigrant Ordinance

huffpo_latino_voicesBy Huffington Post Latino Voices

Latino leaders are urging a one-day boycott in the town of Farmers Branch, Texas, over its continued support of a ban on renting property to undocumented immigrants, CBS DFW reports.

The North Texas city passed an ordinance in 2006 banning undocumented immigrants from renting housing, under penalty of fines. The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals found the law unconstitutional in July, but the town’s City Council voted 3 to 2 last week to appeal the case to the Supreme Court.

The civic leaders are asking residents to walk out of work and school, refuse and to spend money in the town on Sept. 13, according to CBS-DWF.

It’s unclear whether or not the economic impact of the boycott will sway the housing ban’s supporters. The city of 29,000 has already spent $6 million in legal fees to fight for the ordinance.

The ordinance, passed by an all-white City Council in a town increasingly populated with Latinos and immigrants, acted as a focal point of Anglo-Latino tension as the courts overturned Farmers Branch’s at-large district system.

At-large districts allow candidates to compete for the votes of the entire town. The system tends …

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This article was first published in Huffington Post Latino Voices.

[Photo courtesy http://farmersbranchtx.gov/]

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