A judge signed off on a new Houston ordinance strengthening a requirement that Taco Trucks report to a city commissary daily.

More than 60 Taco Truck owner-operators had filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction against the rule. Their lawyer, David Mestemaker, said the lawsuit will continue.

The ordinance taking effect this week requires mobile food units to go to a commissary within the 24 hours prior to serving food to dump waste and get clean water.

Mestemaker said the new rules target Hispanic food vendors and are “the racist agenda of certain legislators.”

“These ordinances work a great hardship on people trying to eke out a living,” he said.

A rule in place since 2000 required daily trips to the commissary, but operators could take their trucks after serving food all day.

Conrad Janus, acting chief of the city’s bureau of consumer health services, said the revision closes a loophole that enabled truck operators to tell inspectors they planned to take their trucks later that night. That made it hard to ensure they actually went.

Robert Cambrice, senior assistant city attorney, said it’s a public health issue.

“The public needs protection from unclean utensils, unclean facilities. This is in the public’s interest,” he said.

Taco truck owners said the daily trips cost them time and money.

“We have to lose three hours a day, take the jacks off the trailer,” said Socorro Tapia, 40. “It’s how we make a living. We work hard, too.”