Neb. council approves voter-backed ban on hiring, renting homes to illegal immigrants

Neb. council OKs ban on hiring illegal immigrants

FREMONT, Neb. — The Freemont City Council in eastern Nebraska has adopted a voter-approved ban on hiring or renting homes to illegal immigrants.

Council members didn’t discuss the ban before unanimously approving it Tuesday night.

The policy could take effect in about two weeks, but the American Civil Liberties Union has promised a lawsuit. Voters approved the measure last month.

Opponents say the plan is rooted in racism, but supporters say the ban is about people living in the U.S. illegally.

The ban requires city officials and employers to ensure that job and housing applicants are legally in the country. It was modeled after an ordinance in Hazelton, Pa., where the law has been tied up in legal challenges since it was approved in 2006.