Thread: Fremont, Neb. immigration task force grows

Fremont, Neb. immigration task force grows

Associated Press - August 18, 2008 12:35 PM ET
http://www.kptm.com/Global/story.asp?S= ... enu606_2_4

Corrected Version

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) - A Fremont-based task force intending to address illegal immigration issues has expanded its membership to include more than two dozen people.

The membership list released Monday includes representatives from the offices of Attorney General Jon Bruning, U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry and U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson. Local members include the city and county attorneys, chief of police, corrections director, council members and residents.

The task force was formed following the City Council's defeat of an ordinance that would have banned renting to and hiring illegal immigrants.

The group is set to meet within the next 10 days. Its recommendations are expected within eight to 10 weeks.

Published Tuesday August 19, 2008
Fremont task force includes fans, foes of immigration plan
BY CINDY GONZALEZ
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
The Fremont, Neb., task force charged with proposing local ways to stop illegal immigration is essentially complete with two dozen members, and the group should start meeting within 10 days.

Leaders of the committee released the membership list Monday. Included are federal, state and local authorities, as well as residents on both sides of the controversial immigration proposal killed last month by the City Council and mayor. A few more people might yet be added.

So much divisiveness arose from the earlier proposal that Mayor Donald "Skip" Edwards vowed to assemble the task force. Edwards had opposed the proposed law, which called for penalizing people who rented to or hired illegal immigrants.

After the vote, two men who supported the proposal stepped up to challenge Edwards in his mayoral bid.

Businessman Bill Ekeler, co-chair of the task force, opposed the proposal and hopes the panel can come up with practical solutions that can stand up to legal challenges. The proposed ordinance failed largely because of legal concerns and projected implementation costs.

Ekeler expects the group to present a list of recommendations to the City Council in November.




• Contact the writer: 444-1224, cindy.gonzalez@owh.com
http://omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10410036

Mayor’s task force expands list of members
By Tracy Buffington/Executive Editor
Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 - 10:59:37 am CDT
There are a few familiar names among citizens added to the Mayor’s Task Force on Immigration.

Among the expanded list of members that was announced Monday are Donnie Temperley, plant manager at Hormel Foods Corp.; Les Leech, president of Fremont Beef; and Leslie Carter, executive

director of MainStreet of Fremont and candidate for Ward 2 on the Fremont City Council.

Hormel and Fremont Beef often are accused of hiring illegal immigrants. Both, however, use the E-Verify system, a federally backed database that allows employers to verify the legal status of someone seeking a job.

Temperley did not respond to a voice mail message left at his office nor did Leech respond to an e-mail requesting comment.

Carter is running against incumbent Mary Marsh for a city council seat. Marsh was one of four city council members to vote to approve an ordinance that would have banned the harboring, renting to or hiring of illegal immigrants.

Other citizens joining the board are Gabriele Ayala, Joe Banker, Nancy Boyles, Jerry Delaney, Christy Fiala, John Lamar and Steve Tellatin.

Task force co-chairman Bill Ekeler said while some of the citizens are known in the business community, they do not necessarily represent the companies they work for.

“A lot of these people have come to me and others,â€