Nebraska city council member explains effect of illegal immigrants on community

Fremont, Nebraska City Council member Paul Von Behren shared with Fox & Friends First on Wednesday how the effects of illegal immigration have impacted his community. While far from the southern border, Fremont is debating the influx of migrants, especially those who are working in meat-processing plants in the town. 

“I think the primary draw is the cheap labor they provide. They’re basically less educated, less skilled than the average American worker. We’re primarily a meat processing town, so by and large our businesses like to have them here to provide cheap labor, simply,” said Von Behren. 

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Von Behren also discussed the impact of illegal immigration on crime in Fremont. 

“From Fremont, from a public safety standpoint, we’ve had at least three arrests for child rape by known illegals,” the city council member said. “Even in our traffic stats, our DUIs, our no-license, no-insurance, 75 percent of those have been illegals.” 

“We’re seeing a lot of stress, frankly, on our schools and public safety and actually it’s beginning to drive taxes up,” he continued. 

“The exact costs are difficult [to quantify] but the [increase in] taxes primarily are from all the housing pressure they put on us,” Von Behren said, referring to the increase in illegal migrants in Fremont. “Property taxes in Fremont have been going up at least twice the rate of incomes for the last 15 years. In the last 5 years, those taxes have gone up an additional 25 percent.” 

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Von Behren was also questioned about President-elect Trump’s plans to deport illegal migrants upon entering office. 

“It’s not so much a matter of supporting deportation,” Von Behren said. “It’s a matter of supporting federal law. These people broke the federal law with their first step into this nation by being illegal. It doesn’t matter whether it’s race, it doesn’t matter whether it’s any other factor, they’re here illegally and anyone illegally here deserves to be imported.” 

In the weeks before Trump assumes office on Jan. 20, some voters in states like New York have been polled about the president-elect’s deportation plans. 

The Siena College New York State Poll found that 54% of respondents say the state should support any Trump administration efforts to deport migrants living illegally in the state, compared to 35% of respondents who oppose the plans.

Fox News’ Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.