A Texas community’s resolution barring immigrants from being housed in the city is being challenged as violating the 50-year-old Civil Rights Act.
Texas Appleseed, a social justice group, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), a civil rights group, called on the Department of Housing and Urban Development Tuesday to investigate, require compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws and to “put a halt to League City’s illegal action targeting vulnerable children.”
The city council of League City, Texas, passed a resolution on July 8 refusing to house immigrants here illegally.
“This complaint is a warning to other municipalities that are considering similar resolutions _ cities can’t accept federal funds and then use them to discriminate,” Marisa Bono, MALDEF staff attorney, said in a statement.
The groups said the resolutions violate the Fair Housing Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
League City's mayor, whose job is part-time, was not in the city offices and could not be immediately reached. George Gonzalez of HUD said the complaint was received and HUD would be looking at the complaint but could not comment further because it is a pending complaint.
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