I suggest attorney Alan Mansfield and U.S. District Court Judge John A. Houston re-read the supremacy clause of the Constitution, which states that federal law overrules state or local laws when they conflict. The Federal Immigration and Nationality Act expressly states that anyone who knowingly assists an illegal immigrant to reside in the U.S. is guilty of a felony. Also, federal law clearly states that you may not harbor illegal immigrants, and defines harboring illegal immigrants as "any conduct that tends to substantially facilitate an alien to remain in the U.S. illegally." Federal law also says that "sheltering need not be clandestine."

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that knowingly renting to illegal immigrants (again, to any critics, notice the word illegal) would clearly fall under the federal definition of harboring illegal immigrants. In short, the Escondido rental ban does not conflict with federal law; in point of fact, it's in line with federal law and therefore cannot be unconstitutional as the supremacy clause applies only when local or state laws conflict with federal law.

In response to those who say border enforcement is the job of the federal government, as per the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution, the federal government can delegate authority. Furthermore, if the federal government won't enforce its own laws, somebody has to.

Now, as for the American Civil Liberties Union, it should really be ashamed of itself in this case. If it's called the American Civil Liberties Union, shouldn't it be siding with the legal U.S. residents, rather than people who immigrated illegally? Where was the ACLU on June 13, 2003, when Oceanside police Officer Tony Zeppetella was shot and killed by an illegal immigrant who also happened to be a gang member and paroled felon? Where was the ACLU on Oct. 24, when a drunken driver, Rafael Perez, who also happened to be an illegal immigrant with four DUI convictions, killed Amy Kortlang in a crash on Highway 67? For that matter, why isn't the ACLU going after Perez's employer, who hired him without checking his driving record, as any company that hires drivers is required by law to do?

As numerous people in the Letters section of the North County Times have pointed out, why hasn't anybody given out the name of the company, as Perez's employer is clearly in violation of several laws.

Victor Chabala lives in Oceanside.