Judge strikes down Texas immigration law

FARMERS BRANCH , Texas, May 29 (UPI) -- A federal judge has ruled unconstitutional efforts by the Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch to ban illegal immigrants from renting apartments.

U.S. District Judge Sam Lindsay, in a 35-page decision, ruled that "only the federal government may determine whether an individual is legally in the United States."

The proponents were ready for the ruling and had another version ready to submit with different language, which Michael Jung, representing the city, said he believes would satisfy the judge's constitutional concerns, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. Voters had approved the rejected ban by a 2-to-1 ratio.

Apartment managers would be required to demand signed declarations of U.S. citizenship or immigration papers under the rejected ordinance.

The new proposal would require prospective renters to furnish copies of immigration or citizenship papers, which would be checked by a federal immigration agency.