Thread: New Nebraska bill would target benefits for illegal immigran

01/04/2008
New Nebraska bill would target benefits for illegal immigrants
BY LESLIE REED , WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN - Gov. Dave Heineman unveiled a legislative proposal today aimed at ensuring that illegal immigrants do not get state or local government benefits in Nebraska.

The plan, backed by Attorney General Jon Bruning and State Sen. Mike Friend of Omaha, would require state and local agencies to verify that people are legal U.S. residents before extending benefits. Those benefits include state or local retirement, welfare, health care, disability, public housing, food assistance or unemployment benefits.

It also would repeal a 2005 law that allows illegal immigrants to attend the University of Nebraska at in-state tuition rates. That law was passed by the Legislature over Heineman's veto.

Heineman said he asked Friend to introduce the bill because many Nebraskans have told him the state must act to curb illegal immigration. He said illegal immigrants aren't supposed to get government benefits under existing law, but some may slip through the cracks if their status is not being properly verified.

"This is a measured and targeted proposal," he said. "Every agency will be asked to verify and deny benefits where they shouldn't go. I hope they're doing that now, but I suspect it isn't always true."

State Sen. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island, chairman of the Legislature's Government Committee, said he hadn't seen the proposal yet. He questioned the need for it.

"I don't know what benefits people can get if they don't have a Social Security number," he said.

State Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln, who sponsored the 2005 in-state tuition law, said she was incensed by the proposal. She said it will have little impact, except to create hard feelings.

"It is such a mean-spirited attempt to curry favor with some of those who are so noisy on this issue," she said.

Rebecca Valdez, executive director of the Omaha-based Latino Center of the Midlands, said her center will strongly oppose the bill.

She noted it would require additional state spending for immigration enforcement that, she said, should be the task of federal agencies.

"This is wrong on many different levels," she said. "Above all, you're turning state employees into enforcement agents."

Bruning and Heineman said a more stringent verification system is needed, as well as an explicit statutory requirement that everyone's legal status be verified as part of the benefit application process.

Friend said he had needed some convincing before he agreed to promote the legislation on behalf of the governor.

"This took some soul searching for me," he said.

He said he would refuse to be part of legislation that could be used as grounds for gathering up people to incarcerate or deport them.

"If that's part of the motivation, I wouldn't be part of it," he said.

He said one reason he supports the proposal is that the state has a fiduciary responsibility to make sure tax dollars are spent on behalf of legal residents.

Bruning agreed.

"State benefits have to be reserved for Nebraska citizens," he said. "We just can't allow people to sneak in the back door."

The bill will contain exceptions to make sure children get food and people get emergency medical care, the three officials said. Federal law requires that children of illegal immigrants be allowed to attend public schools.

In addition, children born in this country are citizens, even if their parents did not legally immigrate, and are entitled to government benefits such as food stamps and welfare, which are paid to their parents on their behalf, Heineman said.

Although the three officials could offer no estimates on how many illegal immigrants might be receiving government benefits or how much money the measure might save, they said it was not just a symbolic measure.

"I've got better things to do with my time than thump my chest," Friend said.


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"Rebecca Valdez, executive director of the Omaha-based Latino Center of the Midlands"

It doesn't matter what American citizens want........there is always a latino around to object. You would think this was a latino country instead of the United states of America!!!!

State Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln, who sponsored the 2005 in-state tuition law, said she was incensed by the proposal. She said it will have little impact, except to create hard feelings.

"It is such a mean-spirited attempt to curry favor with some of those who are so noisy on this issue," she said.

It's mean spirited to expect US TAXPAYERS to pay for illegals, just so you can curry favor with laraza and the pro-illegals!!

Arizona and Oklahoma are cleaning house so I guess Nebraska realizes the illegals that leave may be headed their way.