Thread: NE:Fremont residents want to outlaw illegal immigrants

Residents sound off about illegal immigration
By Don Bowen/Fremont Tribune
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008 - 10:34:21 am CDT

Fremont residents filled council chambers Tuesday night to tell the Fremont City Council they want to outlaw illegal immigrants.

Council member Bob Warner led a charge to present an ordinance that would outlaw the harboring, hiring or renting to illegal immigrants.

However, the proposed ordinance presented for a first reading Tuesday omitted the hiring aspect of the city council member’s request.

At an earlier council meeting, members voted 5-3 to have city attorney Dean Skokan draft an ordinance naming all three elements, but Skokan said including verbiage outlawing the hiring of illegal immigrants would hinder the city in any lawsuit because of a 1997 Nebraska attorney general opinion that says the state has no authority over that matter.

"We are a subdivision of the state," Skokan said. "Going against our own state provision would increase the likelihood of a lawsuit, make the difficulty of winning such a lawsuit greater and make the consequences of losing greater. I have not read a single decree where this type of ordinance was upheld."

Warner said he wanted the hiring element of the proposed ordinance included.

Several residents spoke in favor of the ordinance.

"We need to do something here," said Marvin Eden. "Nobody else is doing anything. The federal government don’t give a damn."

"We need to try to help the federal government to enforce a law that’s already a law," Warner said.

"We need to be heard," Eden said. "I don’t like this. We’re paying for all of this."

"We get our liberties from the law," said Ralph Larson. "People who come here illegally broke the law. People who hire them break the law. Our elected officials let them do it. It has to stop here. We have to stop it."

"My ancestors came here from another country," said Deb Vorem to the council members. "They came here legally. They learned the language. Illegal aliens are stealing from us, and everyone is looking away. If we want to get something done, we have to stick our necks out. We want you to stick your necks out."

"My parents came from Poland," said Fran Smith. "I am a first generation American. They worked at a packing house, and my father was also a carpenter. They were very proud to be Americans. When they came to this country they had to pass a lot of tests. I think we need a 10-year moratorium on anything coming in from south of the border. We also need to take away all benefits (to illegal immigrants)."

Two people in the crowd spoke against the proposed ordinance, including attorney Norm Phlanz from Lincoln-based Nebraska Appleseed.

Phlanz outlined four reasons the judicial nonprofit agency is against this ordinance, including that it’s preempted by federal law, could hinder the police department’s community policing procedures, it could divide the community and would cost a lot to implement and defend.

Vince O’Connor asked council members to think about the ordinance itself.

"No matter what your stance is, make a decision based on your thoughts, not on the potential of a lawsuit," said O’Connor, who is married to a woman who immigrated from Sweden.

The second reading of the proposed ordinance with the amended information will be heard at the council’s July 29 meeting. Warner asked that the final reading be at the Aug. 26 meeting because he can’t attend the Aug. 12 meeting, which would be when council members would ordinarily vote on it.

In another matter, council members voted to continue a proposed ordinance to rezone a two-block area of Bell Street to allow a new welcome sign for Midland Lutheran College until Sept. 9.

"In the interim, it is my understanding that a light commercial/special corridor zoning district is being considered which would maintain the current allowed uses or provide less intensive uses than presently allowed in the (urban corridor/special corridor current zoning)," said attorney Dave Mitchell for the college. "Midland believes this is a reasonable compromise to the concerns raised by neighboring property owners."
http://tinyurl.com/6atcva

Phlanz outlined four reasons the judicial nonprofit agency is against this ordinance, including that it’s preempted by federal law, could hinder the police department’s community policing procedures, it could divide the community and would cost a lot to implement and defend.

How would it be preempting federal law, if the states ENFORCE the federal laws already on the books? States have a right to defend themselves, don't they?

Fremont is just across the Bay from me; I think I'll try to get together with Bob Warner.

I was driving through Fremont two weeks ago. Got a ticket, did not come to a complete stop. Kinda hard to tell if you are only going one mph. All in all it's going to cost me about $450....... I will never spend another dime there! But maybe they can get the ball rolling to throw these people out of california. Maybe wake up the Terminator.......

This is Fremont, NB guys. I sure wish it was California. I put it in the subject line but I guess I should have put in the text somewhere. I thought it was the one in California at first too.

my mistake

"My parents came from Poland," said Fran Smith. "I am a first generation American. They worked at a packing house, and my father was also a carpenter. They were very proud to be Americans. When they came to this country they had to pass a lot of tests. I think we need a 10-year moratorium on anything coming in from south of the border. We also need to take away all benefits (to illegal immigrants)."

I like the way this guy thinks!

Fremont Considers Illegal Immigration Proposal

Posted:

Updated:

Julie Hong

Fremont (KPTM) - Fremont city leaders are considering a proposal outlawing illegal immigrants.

The proposed ordinance is drawing lots of attention in Fremont.

"I know they're desperately passionate about the cause," says city council president Gary Bolton.

Councilman Bob Warner asked the city attorney to create an ordinance outlawing harboring, hiring or renting to illegal immigrants.

"If we do nothing, nothing is going to happen," says long-time Fremont resident and World War II veteran Marv Eden. "We need to do something to let the higher authorities, the federal government, the state government know how the people feel."

He spoke in favor of the law at last night's council meeting, but says he isn't anti-immigrant.

"I have good feelings for immigrants, I'm one, but my folks came legally," says Eden.

Bolton agrees there's a problem, but says this proposal is not the answer.

"We do our part and the federal government doesn't do their part and this ordinance won't change that," says Bolton.

He also says it's an expensive lawsuit waiting to happen.

"When you have the state attorney general telling you if you pass this ordinance you're going to get sued, no doubt about it and you will lose. It doesn't make sense to hamstring future councils to paying huge attorney fees to defend something you know you're never going to win," Bolton said,

Norm Pflanz, an attorney with Nebraska Appleseed, agreed saying "It's only up to the federal government to enforce that law. We can't have separate municipalities or even separate states passing their own immigration laws because then we'd have a patchwork."

He says city laws like this are unconstitutional and have been struck down in federal court.

He says it's a proposal that will do Fremont more harm than good.

"This is only going to be divisive and divide the community," says Pflanz.

There will be a second reading on the ordinance July 29th.
The council president expects another packed room, especially since the council is split on the issue.
http://www.kptm.com/Global/story.asp?S=8651682

I wish there was some way to bring a class action lawsuit against the federal govt for not enforcing the law. It's been discussed here before, but I never heard about the possibility of it.

Originally Posted by SicNTiredInSoCal

I wish there was some way to bring a class action lawsuit against the federal govt for not enforcing the law. It's been discussed here before, but I never heard about the possibility of it.

I've mentioned it before too, I think a lot of us have. And what about those of us who live in 'sanctuary cities"? Is there a recourse for those folks?