Thread: NE: Committee discusses immigration proposals

Committee discusses immigration proposals
BY JoANNE YOUNG / Lincoln Journal Star
Wednesday, Feb 27, 2008 - 09:53:18 pm CST

Legislation brought forward by Gov. Dave Heineman drew some heavy hitters from state government and the University of Nebraska on Wednesday — but on opposite sides of the illegal immigration issue.

The first of three bills heard Wednesday by the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee — LB963, which would prohibit state agencies and political subdivisions from providing federal, state or local benefits to undocumented immigrants — brought Heineman and Attorney General Jon Bruning on the proponents’ side and NU President James B. Milliken and Board of Regents Chairman Chuck Hassebrook as opponents.

Verification of the legal status of immigrants applying for benefits would be accomplished by a program called SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements), said Omaha Sen. Mike Friend, who sponsored the bill on Heineman’s behalf. For 20 cents, state agencies can enter a person’s name and other information into a Web site to verify his or her status.

Several on the committee questioned the bill’s necessity, since the Department of Labor already uses the system for unemployment benefits, and other departments, such as Health and Human Services, require verification in other ways. Omaha Sen. Steve Lathrop also questioned the accuracy of the SAVE system, which is said to give the wrong answer about 20 percent of the time.

Heineman said he considered whether the state has a responsibility to address the immigration issue and, if so, decide the most appropriate action to take.

[b]“I know this is a difficult and emotional issue, but it must be addressed,â€

Ordinarily I am a strongly optimistic person. However, not today. After attending the hearing, I would be greatly surprised: 1) if any of the three bills discussed make it out of committee and 2) if any bill does make it to the floor, it will die a quick death. This is not what I want but what my gut tells me!

Originally Posted by FedUpInNebraska

Ordinarily I am a strongly optimistic person. However, not today. After attending the hearing, I would be greatly surprised: 1) if any of the three bills discussed make it out of committee and 2) if any bill does make it to the floor, it will die a quick death. This is not what I want but what my gut tells me!

Don't give up "FedUpInNebraska" Was there very many people there? for our against?