An Upstate county is considering declaring English its official language, as well as cracking down on the employment of illegal immigrants.

The ordinance passed a second reading by the Pickens County Council on Monday, according to Councilman Ben Trotter.

The ordinance would require all county business to be done in English except in the case of emergencies or under due process protection.

Employers would only be allowed to hire workers who can prove through e-verify that they are legally authorized to work in the United States. Under the ordinance, vendors who knowingly hire unauthorized workers would be penalized by removal from the county register for three years.

Trotter said that the ordinance is to deal with all illegal immigrants and doesn't target any particular ethnicity.

The council may have a final reading on the ordinance on their next meeting on Aug. 18.