Thread: NE-Immigration Vote Can be Held in Fremont

Updated: 9:11 AM Apr 23, 2010

Immigration Vote Can be Held in Fremont
Lincoln, Neb.
The Nebraska Supreme Court won't stop a special election in Fremont on a proposal aimed at illegal immigrants.
Posted: 9:11 AM Apr 23, 2010

Email Address: desk@1011now.com

The Nebraska Supreme Court won't stop a special election in Fremont on a proposal aimed at illegal immigrants.

In its ruling released Friday, the state high court upheld the decision of a Dodge County District Court judge last year that he didn't have authority to stop the election. The proposal would ban renting to and hiring illegal immigrants within city limits.

Fremont officials have said the ordinance would conflict with federal law and lead to costly litigation.

Residents in Fremont collected enough valid signatures to force a special election.

The Fremont City Council considered a policy similar to the proposed ordinance in 2008 and narrowly rejected it for some of the same reasons city attorneys raised in their appeal.

http://www.1011now.com/news/headlines/91906244.html

Whatever happened to representing "The Will of the People?"

Published Saturday April 24, 2010
Views mixed on Fremont immigrant vote

By Christopher Burbach and Martha Stoddard
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN -- Wanda Kotas feels as if the Nebraska Supreme Court has restored her rights as a citizen.

Lourdes Gouveia feels as if civil rights are in danger.

Both were reacting to a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling Friday that clears the way for a Fremont vote on an anti-illegal immigration ordinance.

Kotas was one of three Fremont residents who prevailed in the case. She, John Wiegert and Jerry Hart had circulated a petition to put the ordinance on the ballot after the City Council rejected the measure.

The City of Fremont sued to prevent the ballot issue, lost and then appealed to the state Supreme Court.

After Friday's ruling, Fremont voters likely will go to the polls this summer for a special election on a petition measure that would bar Fremont residents from hiring illegal immigrants and from renting living quarters to those who can't prove their citizenship.

“The whole thing was basically about the citizens not getting to vote on it,â€