Residents are split on decision to kill ordinance

Sylvia Sanchez just hopes it’s all over.

On Tuesday night, she was among more than 70 people who spoke during a city council meeting during which members heard the second -- and then third -- reading of an ordinance that would have prohibited harboring, renting to and hiring illegal immigrants.

After a 4-4 vote among council members, Fremont Mayor “Skip” Edwards cast the vote that killed an ordinance targeting illegal immigrants.

That was good news to Sanchez, who lives in Fremont, and other ordinance opponents. But proponents like Andy Schnatz, who believe illegal immigrants are hurting the city, were upset.

Then there are people like Bill Ekeler.

Ekeler, who owns Overland Products in Fremont, was pleased with the vote’s outcome. Now he would like to see government leaders and concerned citizens join forces to gather accurate information and develop a workable solution.

More than 1,000 people from Fremont and other communities filled Fremont High School’s auditorium during the meeting. Among those was Sanchez, who believes the ordinance targeted Hispanics and would have only created division in the community.

Under the proposed ordinance, renters would have had to get a $5 license stating that they are legal.

But Sanchez contends that landlords would only seek licenses from Hispanic tenants.

“If the person I rent to is white, I’m not going to worry about asking for a license,” she said.

Sanchez, a local homeowner, also believes she would have had to get a license if she chose to rent out her house and find an apartment.

“I am an American citizen of Mexican descent. I’m very proud of who I am. I don’t think I should have to prove to anybody who or what I am,” said Sanchez, noting both she and her mother were born in Grand Island.

Sanchez wonders what others would think if they were in this situation.

“How would you like it?” she asked. “How would you feel?”

Sanchez wasn’t the only one happy to see the ordinance’s defeat.

“I was glad the ordinance was voted down due to the potential negative impact that it could have financially on the city of Fremont and its residents,” Ekeler said. “It was communicated by various and several legal authorities on the subject that the ordinance would be challenged -- and with that challenge came a great cost ... It’s for that reason that I was glad the ordinance as written was struck down.”

Not everyone was so pleased.

“I could have sat down and cried,” Schnatz said. “It really broke my heart. I feel the deciding vote announced to everybody that this is a sanctuary city now. It’s going to open the doors to illegals coming here.”

He contends that illegal immigrants are breaking federal laws and are “knocking the wages down.”

Schnatz added isn’t against immigration itself.

“My wife is an immigrant,” he said. “She came through the system ... and she’s got her green card. And if I can do it, why can’t they?”

Schnatz said his wife is Portuguese and came from South Africa. They completed the necessary applications after they married and paid $750. That was three years ago, he said.

Another Fremonter, Marv Eden, pointed to his immigrant roots.

“I have no quarrel with immigrants. If they’re legal that’s fine,” he said. “My folks were both little children when they came over here from Germany, but their folks immediately learned the language and became naturalized right away.”

Eden said he’d like to see something done to wake up Congress to the problem of illegal immigration. He also is concerned due to the lack of accurate information.

“That’s the sad part -- that we haven’t been informed sufficiently to really make bona fide statements,” he said.

That’s where Ekeler believes a task force could help and was pleased to hear the mayor say that he is going to appoint such a group to find a solution that falls within the perimeters of the law.

“I’d love to see (U.S. Rep. Jeff) Fortenberry and the city council and Gov. (Dave) Heineman and other involved parties, the police and sheriff, get together with a group of concerned citizens with different viewpoints come up with a workable solution that doesn’t cost the taxpayers money to enforce,” he said.

Ekeler also believes Fremonters must determine if there is a true problem. No one has determined exactly how many illegal immigrants there are in the city.

“I would like to know what the facts are. Until we can figure that out, I don’t think it’s responsible to make rules or ordinances that address a problem that we have not defined,” he said.

Ekeler also disagrees that the ordinance’s defeat is opening the door for illegal immigrants.

“To me that is complete hearsay,” he said. “That’s not based on any factual information. I don’t see any signs that say ‘Please, all illegal immigrants come to Fremont.’

“I know a lot of employers in this city who employ non-Caucasian employees that follow the letter of the law and employ legal, documented workers.”

For now, Sanchez simply hopes some healing will take place.

“I’m really hoping that we can come together as a community and let this thing go. Calm our emotions down,” she said. “I know there are some very upset people out there. Hopefully this will die down now and we can all be neighbors again.”

Ekeler believes other communities will be watching to see how Fremont handles the situation.

“From my vantage point,” he said, “this is a huge opportunity for the city of Fremont to clear up a black eye and take a leadership role in the state and the nation to establish workable and enforceable rules.”