News Releases

Civil Rights Organizations Demand Repeal Of Unconstitutional Ordinance

Oct 31, 2008 | ,

ESCONDIDO, CA – A coalition of civil rights organizations and law firms has filed an official letter with the City of Escondido demanding that they repeal an unconstitutional anti-immigrant ordinance. The coalition, composed of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Fair Housing Council of San Diego, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), and People For the American Way (PFAW), is taking action against an ordinance passed by the Escondido City Council on October 18 which would ban renting an apartment to, or otherwise “harboring” any person “not lawfully present” in the United States. The coalition also includes the private law firms of Rosner & Mansfield LLP and Cooley Godward Kronish LLP.

MALDEF Wins Preliminary Injunction Against State Of Georgia For Its Failure To Comply With The Voting Rights Act

Oct 29, 2008 | ,

ATLANTA, GA – Yesterday, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) won a favorable court ruling effectively ending the State of Georgia’s illegal attempt to use an unlawful verification check that would have denied the right to vote for thousands of citizens. The court issued a preliminary injunction requiring the State of Georgia to allow persons whose citizenship has been questioned pursuant to Georgia’s database matching system to cast a ballot in the Nov. 4 election.

MALDEF Asks Johnston County, NC Commission To Call For Resignation Of Sheriff Based On Inflammatory And Derogatory Statements About Mexicans

Sep 25, 2008 | , ,

ATLANTA, GA – Today, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the nation’s leading Latino legal organization, sent a letter to the Johnston County Board of Commissioners condemning Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell’s recent inflammatory comments about Mexican immigrants living in Johnston County (See Attachment). The Commissioner’s comments, published in the September 7, 2008 Raleigh News and Observer, included a number of derogatory references to Mexicans.

Arizona Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of Vigilante Rancher Who Attacked U.S. Citizens On Arizona Border

Sep 24, 2008 | ,

PHOENIX, AZ – Today, the Arizona Supreme Court rejected the appeal of border vigilante Roger Barnett who was found liable by a jury after assaulting a family of Latino U.S. citizens while they were hunting on state land in southern Arizona. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), which represents the plaintiffs in the case, urged the Supreme Court to reject Barnett’s appeal and argued that the jury had rightfully found Barnett at fault for his vicious attack upon the family.

Farmers Branch, Texas Anti-Immigrant Ordinance Is Blocked While Challenge Continues

Sep 23, 2008 | ,

DALLAS, TX – City officials in Farmers Branch, Texas today agreed not to fight a request from residents to block the city’s latest anti-immigrant ordinance from taking effect while a legal challenge continues. The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) filed a request in federal court on the residents’ behalf for a preliminary injunction blocking the ordinance. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas is expected to enter the injunction today.

MALDEF President & General Counsel Calls Upon Gov. Schwarzenegger To Support Increased Access To Court Interpreters

Sep 19, 2008 | , ,

LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) participated in a press conference at their Los Angeles office headquarters in support of Assembly Judiciary Chairman Dave Jones’s bill to expand court interpreter services to civil cases. MALDEF President and General Counsel John Trasviña issued the following statement: