Thread: NE: City refocuses in fight on foreigners

City refocuses in fight on foreigners
BY CINDY GONZALEZ, MNS
08/09/2008

FREMONT, Neb. - In the wake of this city's divisive vote on illegal immigration, leaders are taking another shot at clearing out unlawful foreigners.

The latest attempt comes in the form of a task force initiated by the mayor. Its goal is to define the extent of the problem in Fremont and craft affordable and doable local policies.

Co-chairman Bill Ekeler said Friday that he hopes the effort again thrusts his town of 25,000 into the national spotlight - but this time for devising an unprecedented local approach to an issue that has confounded the country.

"Somebody's got to do it," said Ekeler, owner of Overland Products. "Why not Fremont?"

Ekeler and Mayor Donald "Skip" Edwards believe a solution for cities like Fremont could lie in the mix of people on the task force. The mayor said federal, state and local officials have agreed to serve on the task force.

More are to be invited, they said, including supporters of the failed Fremont ordinance that would have penalized those who rent to or hire illegal immigrants.

Carl Shaffner, who decided after the ordinance's defeat to challenge Edwards for mayor, said he'd probably participate if invited. Still, Shaffner was skeptical, saying he didn't see the need for a group if it was going to "kick the can down the road a few more years."

"If it's a task force to round up people breaking the law, I'm 100 percent for it," said Shaffner. "Enforcement starts now."

Possible city-level approaches to illegal immigration surfaced in early discussions, Edwards and Ekeler said, but they declined to elaborate until further study.

They said one option involves holding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement accountable for enforcement tasks that should already be taking place.

"Everyone thinks that ICE should be coming when even one person is found to be illegal," said Council President Gary Bolton. "They need to know that ICE isn't responding like that."

Ekeler said the goal is not to "go hunting for illegal immigrants, but to ensure that those illegal immigrants that are identified once they have broken any law are prosecuted on all applicable levels."

Another outcome of the task force, Ekeler said, might be an agreement among local businesses on stricter hiring procedures.

He hopes to have a list of recommendations to the City Council in November.

Whatever is proposed, Ekeler and Edwards said, will be in harmony with federal laws.

The earlier ordinance failed largely because many officials feared it could not stand up to legal challenges and would cost too much to implement. Courts have struck down similar city ordinances because they interfere with already existing federal laws.

Ekeler opposed the proposed ordinance. His company, which employs about 100, produces custom-made dies and other tool parts for clients worldwide.

Ekeler said he hopes the Mayor's Task Force on Illegal Immigration Enforcement in Fremont is not seen as a political maneuver.

Since Edwards cast the tie-breaking vote July 29 to defeat the earlier proposed ordinance - which drew more than 1,000 people to the public hearing - two critics, including Shaffner, have challenged him for his seat.

Edwards could have abstained from voting to break the 4-4 Fremont City Council deadlock, and the ordinance would have died for lack of majority. But the five-term mayor cast the pivotal vote anyway.

Friday, he said, "I couldn't sit there and not vote when I feel strongly we needed to take a different direction."

For his part, Ekeler initially turned down a lead role on the task force but reconsidered when federal and state officials agreed to participate.

Ekeler, Edwards and a few other Fremont leaders met Thursday with Gov. Dave Heineman, Attorney General Jon Bruning and representatives of Sens. Ben Nelson and Chuck Hagel and Congressman Jeff Fortenberry.

The Fremont group differs from a 1999 statewide immigration task force assembled by then-Gov. Mike Johanns, Ekeler said, because its goal is to develop local-level policy.

Ekeler hopes the outcome will be a model for other municipalities struggling with the effects of a federal government that he said has shirked immigration enforcement.
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I vote Bill Ekeler for Governor of my state of Maine!!!