Three of the five on Escondido's city council have balls. Big balls.
Under a proposed ordinance, landlords will be required to submit documentation of their tenants' immigration status to the city, which would then verify the information with the Federal government. Escondido's city council voted in favor of the ordinance last night, 3-2.
Landlords whose tenants are illegal immigrants would have 10 days to remove the renters, or face penalties - including the suspension of their business licenses and misdemeanor charges for repeat offenders.
Escondido Mayor Lori Holt and Councilman Ron Newman voted against the proposal. A second vote is required before the ordinance can be adopted. The vote occurs October 18 and, if approved, the ordinance will take effect 30 days later.
A representative of the San Diego ACLU supposes this is unconstitutional and an "open violation of fair housing laws."
Councilwoman Marie Waldron said she introduced the proposal "to do what we can on a local level" to combat illegal immigration. "The Federal government has let us down by not enforcing our borders," she said, "We should not be ashamed of standing up for our nations and our laws." Ms. Waldron's got balls!
Another councilman, Sam Abed - an immigrant from Lebanon, argued that the ordinance was necessary to relieve overcrowding and eliminate slumlords.
Protestors on both sides gathered outside City Hall during the vote. Some supporters carried signs reading "Red White Black Brown... You're Illegal... Outta Town." Some opponents resorted to extreme hyperbole (thus diminishing their position) and carried signs reading "USA Not Nazi Germany."
It's good to see that when the Federal Government chooses to not adequately address the problem of illegal immigrants, that cities like Escondido will not sit idly by watching as the parade of illegal immigrants continues into their city.
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