With about 57 percent of residents voting for it, the town of Fremont, Neb., has passed an ordinance aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration by banning hiring or renting property to illegals. The town now faces a long legal fight similar to that embroiling the state of Arizona after it recently enacted a law targeting undocumented immigrants. Law Professor Susan Akram, an authority on immigration law, says that in both cases voters and officials are pushing such measures to force the federal government to clamp down harder on illegal immigration in various ways.
“Unfortunately, it does not appear that public opinion has been influenced by the actual facts involved in passing such measures: that they are unlikely to be enforceable because they conflict with an area in which federal law pre-empts most state action; that they are going to be subject to serious and lengthy litigation; and that they are going to cost the states and localities significant resources without achieving the benefits they seek.”
Contact Susan Akaram, 617-358-3060, smakram@bu.edu
