Arlington Deserves Real Anti-Discrimination Protections
At Dream City PAC, we know that Arlington is the most diverse city in Texas and one of the most diverse in the nation. Our neighbors represent different races, cultures, faiths, identities, family structures, and lived experiences, all contributing to the strength and growth of our community. That diversity deserves leadership that listens, protects, and governs with the full reality of our city in mind.
Arlington often describes itself as a welcoming, inclusive city where everyone can pursue opportunity and prosperity. Those words matter. But right now, our City Council is considering a proposal that falls far short of that promise, particularly when it comes to protecting residents who are most vulnerable to discrimination.
On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, our City Council will vote on a proposed “Anti-Discrimination” ordinance that does not actually prohibit discrimination. Instead of restoring protections that were suspended last year, this proposal eliminates nearly every meaningful local remedy that once existed.
Stripping protections and replacing them with symbolism is not a compromise. It is a failure of leadership.
What the Proposed Ordinance Really Does
The ordinance explicitly limits the City of Arlington’s role to education and referral. One section of the proposal states that the City seeks only “to educate residents regarding their rights under such laws.” That sentence tells the truth. This is not an anti-discrimination ordinance. It is an educational pamphlet disguised as policy.
As DeeJay Johannessen, CEO of the HELP Center, explained in a public statement, the ordinance abandons virtually all remedies previously available under the City’s Discrimination Chapter. Under this proposal, the City would not investigate discrimination complaints, even when those complaints involve City funds or City contractors.
Contractors with multiple valid discrimination complaints could continue receiving taxpayer dollars without consequence. Complaints would not be evaluated, considered, or weighed when awarding future City contracts.
Section 1.07 of the ordinance makes this explicit. The City would not investigate complaints, advocate for complainants, take sides, or provide guidance. The City’s role would be limited to listening and referring residents to state or federal agencies.
In plain language, the City would listen, nod, and do nothing.
That is not protection. That is abandonment.
This Is Not a Compromise
City leadership has described this ordinance as a compromise. The HELP Center has strongly rejected that framing, and rightly so.
No one asked for Arlington’s original Anti-Discrimination Ordinance to be suspended. The justification given last year, that federal funding was at risk, was publicly debunked. Arlington remains the only city in the nation to voluntarily suspend its local protections anyway.
Now, instead of restoring those protections, our City Council is being asked to approve a proposal that permanently weakens civil rights enforcement at the local level.
This ordinance represents Arlington compromising civil rights. It compromises accountability. It compromises fairness. It compromises the City’s moral responsibility to its residents.
Understanding the City’s Proposed Anti-Discrimination Resolution
In addition to the weak ordinance already described, City staff have also proposed a separate Anti-Discrimination Resolution for consideration on February 10. The resolution language emphasizes Arlington’s diversity and condemns discrimination, bias, and hate, citing the city’s welcoming character and past efforts to engage different communities. It calls on local businesses to act in a non-discriminatory manner and states that the City will work to connect individuals who believe they have experienced discrimination with outside resources.
On its face, that sounds positive. However, simply condemning discrimination without providing tools to address it is insufficient. The resolution does not grant the City the authority to enforce anti-discrimination protections, investigate complaints, or take action when discrimination occurs. Like the ordinance, this resolution leaves individuals to pursue remedies only through outside agencies.
This matters for two reasons:
Words Alone Do Not Protect People
A resolution is not a law. It expresses intent or values, but does not establish enforceable rights or create mechanisms for accountability when discrimination happens. A City can condemn discrimination all day, but without enforcement, residents do not have local protections when they need them.
It Allows Council to Appear Supportive Without Actually Acting
Condemning discrimination in words while removing local safeguards in practice creates a false sense of security. Residents may believe the City is protecting them, when in reality the City has limited its role to education and referral. This mirrors the issue with the ordinance, which restricts the City from investigating or taking action on complaints.
Ultimately, both the ordinance and the resolution highlight the same problem: Council is asserting that Arlington stands against discrimination, but refuses to back that assertion with enforceable protections. An effective anti-discrimination framework must empower the City to act when discrimination occurs, not just describe how proud it is of its diversity.
Why This Matters for Our Community
Discrimination does not happen in theory. It happens in restaurants, housing, employment, and public spaces. Federal law does not cover every situation residents face. City-level ordinances exist precisely to fill those gaps and to ensure that discrimination is not tolerated locally.
Dream City PAC believes Arlington should be an American Dream City for everyone. That includes LGBTQ+ residents, immigrants, people with disabilities, people of faith, and anyone who calls this city home. Building a city where everyone can thrive requires enforceable protections, not symbolic resolutions.
When the City chooses not to act, it sends a message about whose dignity is protected and whose is negotiable.
Show Up and Speak Out on February 10
Arlington residents are encouraged to attend the City Council meeting and make their voices heard on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in the Arlington City Council Chamber.
Residents who wish to speak on posted agenda items must register with City staff outside the Council Chambers on the day of the meeting. Registration opens 30 minutes before the meeting begins and requires completing a speaker registration card.
If you cannot attend, we encourage you to call or email your City Council member and urge them to reject this do-nothing ordinance and support real anti-discrimination protections that actually protect Arlington residents.
Advocacy Options for Those Who Cannot Attend
If you cannot attend in person, you can still reach out directly to City Council members. Emailing them is a powerful way to have your voice heard.
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Here is a ready-to-use email template:
Subject: Support Real Anti-Discrimination Protections in Arlington
Dear Mayor Ross or Councilmember [Last Name],
I am an Arlington resident and I am asking you to oppose the current proposed “anti-discrimination” resolution. This proposal does not restore real, enforceable protections for discrimination in our city. Simply directing residents to federal agencies does not protect people in everyday life where discrimination occurs.
Arlington should be a city where everyone, including LGBTQ community members, can live with dignity and safety. I urge you to support restoring meaningful local anti-discrimination protections that ensure Arlington is truly an American Dream City for all residents.
Sincerely,
[Your Name] -
Below are the elected members who will decide this issue:
Jim R. Ross, Mayor – jim.ross@arlingtontx.gov
Mauricio Galante, District 1 – mauricio.galante@arlingtontx.gov
Raul H. Gonzalez, District 2 – raul.gonzalez@arlingtontx.gov
Nikkie Hunter, District 3 – nikkie.hunter@arlingtontx.gov
Andrew Piel, District 4 – andrew.piel@arlingtontx.gov
Rebecca Boxall, District 5 – rebecca.boxall@arlingtontx.gov
Long Pham, At-Large District 6 – long.pham@arlingtontx.gov
Bowie Hogg, At-Large District 7 – bowie.hogg@arlingtontx.gov
Dr. Barbara Odom-Wesley, At-Large District 8 – barbara.odom-wesley@arlingtontx.gov
Making Arlington a city where everyone can thrive depends on leadership willing to protect residents with meaningful policies, not empty words. This decision on February 10 will signal whether Arlington is serious about being an inclusive community that lives up to its own values.
Our Commitment
Dream City PAC is committed to people-powered civic participation, equity, and local accountability. We believe progress means standing up for our neighbors and ensuring that every resident can live, work, and belong in Arlington with dignity.
This vote is about more than policy language. It is about whether Arlington chooses to be an American Dream City for all, or a city that looks away when discrimination occurs.
We urge our City Council to choose protection, accountability, and inclusion.
Sources and Further Reading
This post reflects our analysis and interpretation of publicly reported information.
City of Arlington City Council Agenda
Official City Council agenda documents outlining items scheduled for consideration, including proposed ordinances, resolutions, and supporting materials presented to elected officials for public discussion and action.
https://www.arlingtontx.gov/files/154c7eac-9260-4842-b52a-e51f80a4eda3/2026—02—10-Evening.pdf
City of Arlington Staff Report – Anti-Discrimination Chapter
Staff analysis accompanying the proposed Anti-Discrimination Chapter, providing background, policy rationale, legal context, and implementation considerations for the ordinance.
City of Arlington Ordinance – Anti-Discrimination Chapter
Proposed ordinance text establishing an Anti-Discrimination Chapter, detailing definitions, protections, enforcement mechanisms, and the scope of the city’s authority.
City of Arlington Staff Report – Anti-Discrimination Resolution
Staff report supporting the Anti-Discrimination Resolution, summarizing the intent of the resolution, its relationship to existing policy, and its anticipated impact.
City of Arlington Resolution – Anti-Discrimination
Resolution language expressing the City Council’s position on anti-discrimination principles and outlining non-binding commitments related to equity, inclusion, and fair treatment.