SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Springfield officials say legal action between the city and four local businesses has nullified a new city ordinance that required businesses to use the federal E-Verify system to check employees' immigration status.
The city said in a release Friday that the lawsuit filed by four local businesses against the E-Verify ordinance was settled after the city agreed to remove several tenets of the law.
The law, approved by voters in February, went beyond state and federal laws to require the use of E-Verify when hiring and included fines for employing unlawful workers.
City leaders said the ordinance had illegal language, and they're pleased the issue is over.
The Ozarks Minutemen spearheaded the voter initiative and says the city didn't try to defend the ordinance.
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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com