A suburb of Chicago, from where the mobster Al Capone once ran his empire, has voted to order all proven members of gangs to leave town.
The town of Cicero says it has a list of about 600 people, who will be forced from their homes by the statute.
Cicero is the place that welcomed Al Capone after he was hounded from Chicago, yet officials see no irony in the fact that the town board has now voted to order out of town anyone known to be a gang member.
Cicero is plagued with gang violence. The law provides for a town hearing for someone about to be expelled at which gang membership will be proved.
Anyone who then refuses to leave will be fined $500 (£300) a day.
It is the first known gang eviction law in the United States.
But civil liberty groups say the measure is unconstitutional and impractical. They plan to challenge it in court.
Other cities looking for solutions to gang problems will be watching closely to see how the new measure fares.
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