If residents pass the ordinance, it would ban illegal immigrants from living and working in the community. Still residents I talked to today say Scribner is a welcoming community as long as you can legally be here.
"I don't like illegals living next to me. I moved here from Salem, Oregon and I know what it's like," says Lorence Stumpe, Scribner resident.
Former Scribner Mayor Lorence Stumpe says when he was in Oregon he lived next to undocumented immigrants and they caused problems. He thinks if Scribner does not pass this ordinance before the Costco plant opens in Fremont, his town will see an influx of non-citizens.
“Well it a take a few years, but if that plant goes in Fremont they'll come because they'll work jobs our young people won't do anymore."
Not all residents agree, including Lorence's wife, who says she hopes the proposal is defeated.
"I think God made all of us, I don't think we should be that way. I think we should work together and I'm sure there's a lot of people here that think that way," Vernice Stumpe, Scribner resident.
The city council wants to pass an ordinance similar to one adopted by Fremont four years ago. New residents are required to pay a small fee and put their name through a federal database to ensure their of legal status. So far the federal government has not assisted in confirming legal status, making Fremont's law unenforceable. Still some Scribner residents seem to want a similar ordinance.
"I think that we would welcome people that really want to make this a home and make a family as long as they are legal," says Ralph Wagner, Scribner resident.
While most residents drinking coffee at the local tavern say they're for the new law, Lorence Stumpe still thinks the town will vote no.
“Until the people get next to to it, they'll probably vote fairly liberal, you know let everybody in. But when you live next to it and see it down the street and everything, they'll change their mind."
Scribner like many cities in Nebraska is in the middle of a housing shortage, so even if an immigrant wanted to live in town, they could have trouble finding an affordable place to live.
