LINCOLN, Neb.—A lawmaker trying to curb illegal immigration assured fellow senators Wednesday that his bill wouldn’t keep children of illegal immigrants from paying the in-state college tuition rate.
It appears to be a compromise, after a similar immigration plan from Republican Gov. Dave Heineman fizzled last year because it would have overturned the law that extends the less expensive tuition to some children of illegal immigrants.
“I do not want to get that involved in this issue,” said Sen. Russ Karpisek of Wilber, who introduced this year’s measure (LB403) for Heineman.
It would require that state and local agencies verify the legal status of anyone trying to collect public benefits, including food stamps, unemployment, public housing, welfare and retirement.
Critics say immigrants already are prohibited under a 1996 federal law from receiving most state benefits.
Joe Ramirez of Omaha said the bill is meant to let lawmakers look active without actually doing anything. He said there’s little evidence that people without legal status are applying for benefits.
“It’s a solution looking for a problem,” he said.
Ramirez and others spoke Wednesday at a hearing of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, which heard testimony on Karpisek’s proposal and two others meant to stem the flow of illegal immigrants to Nebraska.
A bill (LB34) from Chairman Brad Ashford of Omaha would require that all employers check their employees’ legal status once hired.
And a resolution (LR9) from Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln would encourage law enforcement agencies in Nebraska to join a federal program in which they train for and gain authorization to enforce federal immigration law.
Ashford led a statewide study last year with the goal of understanding the impact of illegal immigration on Nebraska communities and to find possible solutions. He said while it’s a federal issue, the federal government isn’t going to act.
“I don’t know how else to deal with something when you have an absolute absence of will,” Ashford said.
After the Judiciary Committee blocked Heineman’s bill last year, Ashford said they would probably reconsider if Heineman agreed to remove the provision about in-state tuition.
When questioned about whether there’s a chance in-state tuition could be considered a benefit under his bill, Karpisek said he’ll work with the committee to ensure it isn’t.
Heineman has targeted the in-state tuition law since he vetoed it in 2006, and the Legislature overrode his veto. He used the veto to great advantage in his surprise victory in the 2006 Republican gubernatorial primary: Many voters said they chose Heineman over Tom Osborne, a sitting U.S. representative and wildly popular former Nebraska football coach, because Osborne supported the tuition bill.
To get in-state tuition under the law, illegal immigrants must first graduate from a Nebraska high school and also must be pursuing, or promise to pursue, legal status. Also required is residency in the state for at least three years.
———
On the Net:
Nebraska Legislature,
