Free Republic

Many voters in the eastern Nebraska city of Fremont supported a ban on hiring or renting property to illegal immigrants, according to preliminary results from Monday's special election. With votes from seven of 20 precincts counted, 58 percent of residents were supporting the measure — the latest proposal in a series of immigration regulations taken up by communities around the country. Full results were not expected until later Monday night. The town has watched as its Hispanic population surged in the past two decades, largely due to the jobs available at the nearby Fremont Beef and Hormel meatpacking plants. The...

The Nebraska Supreme Court will hear an appeal in a case stemming from Fremont’s proposed illegal immigration ordinance on Jan. 7 in the second floor of the State Capitol Building in Lincoln. The case is subject to call at 9 a.m., pending other cases the court is hearing that day. Attorneys from each side are permitted just 10 minutes to present arguments unless prior exceptions are made. The City of Fremont filed the appeal after Dodge County District Court Judge John Samson ruled in April the city should hold a special election on a proposed ordinance that would ban the...

Organizers of a campaign that emphasizes unity and strengthening communities are spreading their message in a Nebraska city that’s been embroiled in debate over illegal immigration. The “Nebraska Is Home” campaign launched Saturday in Fremont with organizers pledging they won’t delve into policy and say they just want residents to get to know their neighbors. “Nebraska Is Home is a positive community campaign that seeks to promote Fremont’s unity and strength,” said Kristin Ostrom, who helps lead the local group. “We are doing that neighbor to neighbor.” More than two dozen supporters gathered for the unveiling of a billboard that...