Of course you remember the fight over immigration going on in Farmers Branch for the last half decade. According to this story (paywall), the city has spent nearly $5 million fighting to keep in place the city ordinance requiring prospective renters to prove they are legal residents of this country. (Several Federal judges have ruled the ordinance unconstitutional, noting that immigration enforcement is up to the Federal government.) Now though, Bill Glancy, the 71-year-old mayor, while saying he still supports the ordinance, is also promoting the city’s citizenship classes. He says he’s even looking for corporate sponsorship of the program, pointing out that, “People say we have all these illegals. Well, they are not all illegal. They just don’t speak English.” That’s the gentle side.
Dianne Solis’ story also includes an email from city counsel member Michelle Holmes. In that email, Holmes suggests that R.L. Turner High School “will not see marked improvement” until “we see a change in our demographics.” It’s OK though. Holmes told a recent meeting of Republicans that she isn’t racist. She just opposes illegal immigration and believes the school will be better with fewer minorities. See? That’s completely, totally different than discriminating against certain people based on their race.
