Thread: Committee kills 2 immigration bills

Committee kills 2 immigration billsBY JoANNE YOUNG / Lincoln Journal Star
Thursday, Feb 28, 2008 - 06:54:21 pm CST

The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee spoke out Thursday on the issue of illegal immigration, killing two bills and leaving a third parked in committee.

A bill (LB963) introduced at the request of Gov. Dave Heineman that would prohibit giving state, local or federal benefits to undocumented immigrants or in-state tuition to undocumented college students was killed on a 5-1 vote, with two members not voting.

Several senators said proponents of the bill, introduced by Omaha Sen. Mike Friend, failed to make their case that the law was needed, since a federal requirement already exists. If state agencies are not verifying resident status of benefit applicants, they said, they are not complying with federal law. [b]Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha said the bill was a “smoke screenâ€

It's too bad that we have elected officials who are supposed to represent us and instead choose to use their power to protect criminals. To call it "racism" when constituents exercise their right to voice their opinion is a slap in the face. I hope this man will be thrown out of office at the next election.

there’s no way a state can deal with it

I bet Thomas Jefferson is spinning in his grave over that statement.