A cemetery in the small Texas town of Normanna has refused to allow a woman to bury her husband on its land because he was Hispanic.

Owners of the San Domingo Cemetery insist its long been their policy not to allow Hispanics or blacks to be buried on the grounds. Already grieving for her husband, Donna Barrera was shocked to learn news of the policy.

"I love my husband with all my heart," she said. "That was 44 years with him and then all of a sudden this comes out of the woodwork."

Owner Admits Little Chance of Anything Changing

Barrera maintains that she was directly told by the owner of the establishment there was no way her husband's remains could be buried there. Later, owner Jimmy Bradford defended the cemetery's policy.

"He wasn't supposed to be buried there, because he's a Mexican, or of Spanish descent, or whatever you want to say," he said. "That's what I told her and that's what we've been doing."

Grounds Reserved for People of Normanna

Bradford later explained the land was once owned by his great, great grandfather who requested that it only be used by the people of Normanna. It appears Bradford is totally committed to carrying out those wishes.

"Well, I guess if she tells Obama and he comes down here and tells me I guess I'd have to," he said of the only thing that may prompt him to reconsider. "Otherwise, no."

The incident marks the second time in as many months the issue of race at a cemetery has come up in the state of Texas. Just last month, the city council of Denton unanimously approved an ordinance that renounced a 1933 deed requirement at a city cemetery that limited burial plots to white bodies.

A 1948 Supreme Court decision also makes it illegal to enforce a "whites only" policy at a cemetery and outlaws racial covenants on real estate. National executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens Brent Wilkes vows he plans to refer this apparent violation to the U.S. Department of Justice.

"You can't discriminate on the basis of race," he said. "It is completely illegal and against the Constitution, and we intend to ensure that this cemetery is opened up. It's obviously very disturbing and disappointing. I thought it was something we buried 50 years ago."

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