Scathing allegations have been made against officials in Howell Township, where a whistleblower lawsuit claims elected leaders there pushed illegal and discriminatory housing policies.

Former township manager Joseph Clark alleges that Mayor John Leggio and council members tried to require renters to prove U.S. citizenship or risk possible eviction, actions he referred to as “racist and illegal.”

According to court documents, the officials proposed revoking certificates of occupancy for undocumented immigrants and even suggested racial profiling tactics like checking renters’ recycling bins for Modelo beer bottles. The lawsuit alleges that officials required tenants to submit, within 60 days of certificate of occupancy issuance, a New Jersey state ID reflecting that address.

The lawsuit also claims the mayor tried to pull housing approvals based on arrests, sending text messages about cross-referencing names of local residents arrested with rental records and referring to those individuals as “criminal illegal aliens.”

Clark and others who objected allege they were retaliated against and their work environment became “unbearably hostile.” Clark says he was forced to resign in July.

The lawsuit accuses the town of discrimination, retaliation and violating whistleblower protections. The township has yet to respond to NJ Spotlight News about the allegations.