The Joe Biden administration took aim at Colony Ridge, the illegal immigrant settlement that is growing steadily in Texas. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau officially sued the project's developers, alleging "bait and switch" sales and predatory financial practices.
The lawsuit, targeting Colony Ridge Development, LLC and Colony Ridge BV, LLC, affiliated mortgage company Colony Ridge Land, LLC and loan originator Loan Originator Services, was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
Assistant AG Kristen Clarke announces lawsuit against Colony Ridge Development LLC "for operating an illegal land sale scheme and targeting tens of thousands of Hispanic borrowers with false statements and predatory loans." pic.twitter.com/8Cu0G1DMCe
— CSPAN (@cspan) December 20, 2023
'Operating an illegal land sale scheme'
The lawsuit alleges that the aforementioned housing development, which has become a magnet for illegal immigrants, sold parcels of land that were prone to flooding without sewer or electrical structure, while exploiting language barriers against customers.
"Today’s complaint alleges that Colony Ridge targeted Hispanic consumers with predatory loans, misled borrowers about the water, sewer, and electrical infrastructure on its lots, and exploited language barriers by conducting most of its marketing in Spanish while offering important transaction documents only in English," said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
According to the lawsuit, brothers William Trey Harris and John Harris, Colony Ridge developers, are accused of "operating an illegal land sales scheme and targeting tens of thousands of Hispanic borrowers with false statements and predatory loans."
As for the logistics of buying land, it is sold at low prices but at very high interest rates, since illegal immigrants are not eligible to apply for a traditional bank loan.
🚨BREAKING: FEDS file lawsuit against Colony Ridge Developers for Predatory Lending
“ Since at least 2016, land development companies Colony Ridge Development, LLC, Colony Ridge BV, LLC, and affiliate mortgage company Colony Ridge Land, LLC have lured tens of thousands of… pic.twitter.com/KyOtM3rjLm
— Merissa Hansen (@merissahansen17) December 20, 2023
What is Colony Ridge?
As previously reported by Voz Media, Colony Ridge is a large settlement of 60 square miles and a population estimated between 50,000 and 75,000 people located in Liberty County.
An overhead view of the settlement shared by The Daily Wire revealed half-built homes, dilapidated vehicles, unpaved streets, stray dogs and an extensive labyrinth of traffic circles, something resembling Brazilian Favelas. The population growth reportedly comes hand in hand with illegal immigrants buying land at a very low price and with flexible requirements.
Half-built homes, dilapidated vehicles, unpaved streets, unowned dogs on the loose and an extensive labyrinth of traffic circles, that is what was revealed in an overhead view by The Daily Wire of this settlement, something that could resemble in essence the famous Brazilian Favelas. The population growth reportedly comes hand in hand with illegal immigrants buying land at a very low price and with flexible requirements.
For locals, the danger lies in the fact that it has become an attraction for illegal immigrants who have no desire to seek legal status.
"There is very little police presence in the area. It is attractive because they plan to live and work illegally. That means they probably have to break many different types of laws in order to buy vehicles, drive them and maybe show documents to prospective employers. When people buy here, they are buying peace of mind from the authorities," said Todd Bensman, National Security Fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies.
In conversation with the aforementioned media, members of the County Sheriff's Office affirmed that verifying the legal status of each Colony Ridge resident is almost impossible, since "it would take forever." Therefore, verifications will only be made for those suspected of having committed a crime.
