A misstep against illegals
A Keyport councilman is taking aim at landlords who rent to illegal immigrants in a proposed ordinance to be discussed at the Borough Council meeting tonight. The ordinance sets a $1,000 fine for the landlord any time officials - police or code enforcement officers - found a residential unit was rented to someone in the U.S. illegally. It wouldn't kick in until the borough received a complaint about an address or if the landlord was applying for a certificate of occupancy.
Councilman Joseph Wedick says he isn't targeting illegal immigrants. But how else can you explain asking about the legal status of a housing unit dweller? The public interest most often would be a complaint, which had better be more substantive than the color of the apartment dweller's skin or the unfamiliar language he speaks. Otherwise, this ordinance would have no chance of overcoming a court challenge for being vague, among other constitutional problems.
This proposal is wrongheaded. If overcrowded housing is the issue, then existing residential codes should be enforced. Immigration policy is a federal matter that isn't going to solved by one town going after landlords who rent to immigrants. One step the feds could take is to issue national identification cards, which would separate the legals from the illegals. But that's Washington's call, not Keyport's.
Councilman Joseph Wedick says he isn't targeting illegal immigrants. But how else can you explain asking about the legal status of a housing unit dweller? The public interest most often would be a complaint, which had better be more substantive than the color of the apartment dweller's skin or the unfamiliar language he speaks. Otherwise, this ordinance would have no chance of overcoming a court challenge for being vague, among other constitutional problems.
This proposal is wrongheaded. If overcrowded housing is the issue, then existing residential codes should be enforced. Immigration policy is a federal matter that isn't going to solved by one town going after landlords who rent to immigrants. One step the feds could take is to issue national identification cards, which would separate the legals from the illegals. But that's Washington's call, not Keyport's.
posted by Larry Benjamin at 3:07 PM
2 Comments:
Illegal immigrant should be targeted, just as other criminals are.
Sometimes large numbers of Mexicans moving into a small area is a good thing. Take a look at Red Bank. The Mexicans there pile 20 into a house on the west side of town. As a result, the landlords have jacked up the rents there considerably. Those blacks that used to dominate the west side have fled, save those living in public housing and those few black families that actually own their own home. In short, the Mexicans have done more than the Red Bank cops to clean up that town.
Viva la Mexico!
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