By AP/KWMU
St. Louis – Valley Park's incoming mayor said the town is spending too much money defending its laws targeting illegal immigrants, and he plans to seek a new direction.
Valley Park businessman Grant Young beat Jeffery Whitteaker in Tuesday's mayoral election.
Young said he will propose ending the litigation. He said the ordinances amount to racial profiling and have divided the city.
A lawyer who helped defend the city said it would be a mistake to abandon efforts to stem illegal immigration.
Kris Kobach said the city won a major victory when a federal judge upheld the city's ordinance. Kobach said if the city repeals the ordinance, opposing lawyers will sue for legal fees.