Lawmakers override Ricketts' veto of bill, giving driver's licenses to young immigrants

Sen. Jeremy Nordquist


Posted: Thursday, May 28, 2015 10:58 am
By JOE DUGGAN and MARTHA STODDARD World-Herald News Service

LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers voted Thursday to override the governor’s veto of legislation that provides driver’s licenses to the children of illegal immigrants.

Senators voted 34-10 to overturn the veto and end Nebraska’s status as the only state to deny driving privileges to a special category of immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.

Many of the immigrants who will benefit from the bill have no familiarity with their birth countries. They have been permitted to stay in the United States, as well as get work permits and Social Security numbers, under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Advocates for the bill argued that it didn’t make sense to deny driver’s licenses to young people who grew up in Nebraska, graduated from high school here and are likely to stay and work in Nebraska.

Thursday’s vote represented the third time this legislative session lawmakers have overridden vetoes by Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Senators turned back the governor Wednesday in a historic vote that repealed the death penalty. Earlier in the session, lawmakers overrode his veto of a bill increasing gas taxes by 6 cents to pay for roads maintenance.

In his veto message, the governor raised concerns that LB 623 would provide licenses to a broader group of illegal immigrants than those targeted by supporters.

"The bill is wrong on principle, and the bill is overly broad," Ricketts said.

Opponents said granting driver’s licenses rewards illegal behavior, regardless of who was responsible for the young immigrants entering the country.

Ricketts repeatedly has responded to questions about LB 623 by saying he opposes providing public benefits, including driver’s licenses, to illegal immigrants.

In his veto message, the governor focused on a concern that the bill could be used to provide driver’s licenses to a second group of illegal immigrants, not just the young immigrants who grew up in the U.S. That second group includes many parents of children who were born in the U.S. and are citizens. President Obama signed an executive order in November protecting those adults from deportation.

But 26 states, including Nebraska, challenged the order in federal court. On Tuesday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals let stand a lower court injunction blocking the order from taking effect.

State Sen. Jeremy Nordquist of Omaha, who proposed LB 623, said the injunction means that the larger group of immigrants could not obtain driver’s licenses under the bill.

Nebraska’s policy of denying licenses to young immigrants started three years ago under former Gov. Dave Heineman, who cited a state law that bans providing public benefits to illegal immigrants.

Three immigrants who have been denied driver’s licenses have sued the state over the policy. A judge heard arguments in the case last month but is not expected to issue a ruling until after the legislative session is scheduled to end June 5.

Legislative Bill 623 passed 34-9, which is four more votes than needed to override the governor’s veto. It has support from some of the state’s largest business and agriculture groups, as well as Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, a prominent Republican.

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