Illegal Immigration Fight Returns to State Capitol
Print This Article
There are 41,000 students attending the University of Nebraska’s three undergraduate campuses in Omaha, Lincoln, and Kearney: 35 who are in the country illegally are at the center of an intense political debate.
For three hours on Monday state lawmakers listened as members of the public sounded out the pros and cons of providing in state college tuition to illegal immigrants who graduate from
Nebraska high schools.
State Senator Charlie Janssen of Fremont, who wants to change state law and prohibit the in-state benefit, told the Education Committee that among other things, he thinks the time is politically ripe.
In 2006 the Nebraska Legislature passed a bill allowing certain illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities. Governor Dave Heineman vetoed the bill. But without a vote to spare, Heineman’s veto was overridden. Janssen noted that only three of the 30 lawmakers who voted to override are still in the Unicameral today.
One of those three, Senator Abbie Cornett of Bellevue, said today she’s sticking by her vote. Another member of the committee, Senator Bill Avery of Lincoln said Janssen’s bill, “punishes children for the misdeeds of their parents.”
One of Janssen’s supporters is Kris Kobach who served as former Missouri Senator John Ashcroft’s (R) immigration expert. Kobach told Avery, “Right now Nebraska is rewarding them for the misdeeds of their parents.” 
Others argued Nebraska is violating federal law. But State Senator Brad Ashford of Omaha noted that while that may be true, the United States Attorney in Nebraska is not out detaining any of those 35 students.
One of the leading opponents of Janssen’s bill is the President of the University of Nebraska, J.B. Milliken. Milliken testified the issue is about education not immigration.
It is also about money.
According to the University’s Website the average in state undergraduate student attending NU pays approximately $5,600 a year in tuition. Out of state students pay $16,650.
Susan Smith, who wants the law changed, told the committee, “How much of our tax dollars have to be hijacked for the benefit of some lawmakers social agenda?”
Dale Monsell, who also wants the law changed, suggested an economic compromise of sorts. Monsell said the state should let the “meatpacking companies that brought the immigrants here pay the tuition difference.”
It is not clear when the committee will decide whether to advance the bill to the full legislature.
Editor’s note: to subscribe free of charge to News Updates from Nebraska Watchdog click here.
Reported by Joe Jordan, joe@nebraskawatchdog.org
Posted under News.
Tags: Abbie Cornett, Bill Avery, Brad Ashford, Charlie Janssen, Dale Monsell, Dave Heineman, John Ashcroft, Kris Kobach, Susan Smith
7:56 pm on February 1st, 2010
The United States Attorney in Nebraska is Joe W. Stecher. Sen Brad Ashford makes an excellent point. How come the US Attorney hasn’t arrested the parents, or the employer of the illegals. Selective enforcement? I’m sure that they must prioritize their “meager” resources, and they have higher political priorities, because, really, how hard is it to do their job? So for all you folks who think government is the answer to all your problems, remember how difficult is is to get a government employee to actually do their job.
10:39 pm on February 1st, 2010
September 11, 2001 should have been the fulcrum to seal the borders tight? Instead of roll playing by our government and not pandering to Wall Street and the open border agenda. The National Guard should have been stationed along our national fronts and not sent to some far distant country? The previous administrations along with the latest groups in Washington, preferred to put American lives in Jeopardy. Just as always campaign contributions come first, disregarding the “Rule of Law.” and restricting access to our nation. September 11, should have been the turning point when instead of building a one-fence system, its original planning should have commenced under the guidance Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Ca). His initial design should never have been compromised by political collusion with the parasite business organizations. The construction of two separate fences, with open location between the rows for the rapid movement of US Border Patrol and the National Guard for picketing in between.
We now need a commitment from those in power to enforcing our immigration laws. But as usual American safety comes–LAST–behind the unceasing lines of illegal aliens and their families. As Usual its left for taxpayers to forfeit extra taxes to pay the financial tab for supporting the millions of illegal immigrants, when it should be the–BUSINESS–partnership with rogue politicians and the National business organizations that–SHOULD BE DEMANDED–to pay for their upkeep? After all the ordinary man/women in the street, never welcomed them here? All border states live on the edge of a smoldering volcano, ready to erupt at any time. California is broke, followed by Arizona in a close race to insolvency.Whereas Arizona has just past harsh laws to stop illegal aliens taking legal residents jobs and the sponging mechanism of welfare entitlements. But the California Liberals in Sacramento cannot justify in saving their State from financial crisis caused partly by the illegal immigration invasion. Partly by unparalleled incompetence. Perhaps the California governor is correct, even though is critics say no, to building prisons in Mexico. It would rid California of dangerous gangs that have permeated the State and elsewhere, like a toilet that hasn’t been flushed for years? Illegal immigrants from South of the border, would think twice in criminal acts and being deported, as American prisons are like halfway house to the inmates compared to what awaits them South of the fence? For a short time Washington did enforce the border with the National Guard, but since have employed them in the Middle East.
7:13 am on February 2nd, 2010
All the other states need to do is look at what this invasion has done to California. Don’t let it happen to your state. We are suffering to a degree that I would never have expected. Some of our city offices are now only open 2 1/2 days a week, yet the illegals keep having more and more babies that we pay for both to be born and educate. The cost of education alone is $1,000 a month per child, and most have at least 5, that’s $5,000 a month in our tax dollars. That doesn’t include medical or any of the other entitlements. Los Angeles alone spends over a Billion a year just on the illegals in that city. We need to stop this invasion, enforce our laws already on the books and deport every illegal we can get our hand on. They can take their anchor babies with them back to their home country.
9:20 am on February 2nd, 2010
Today would be a great day to gather them up and get them out of the country.
10:36 am on February 2nd, 2010
I wonder how many of the 35 are also receiving Pell Grants? This is like subsistence to colleges/universities…of course they would be for it. The child of an illegal can get in-state tuition and a Pell Grant and the minute the child of a legal citizen crosses the state line to attend an out-state school they are penalized with higher tuition. Go figure.
1:41 pm on February 2nd, 2010
Why is it everyone who violates the law deserves more than the law abiding citizen who just works, has a family and stays out of trouble? How can anyone, I don’t care how they got here or when, believe we are not abiding by the rule of law? If this is the case then why give tickets to speeders? Why can’t us smokers just smoke? The laws are targeted for only certain people and this will eventually cause a whole lot of problems. They are ILLEGAL they shouldn’t be here…and yet they get privileges and the honest hard working children of parents who have NOT broken the law are penalized? What is wrong with this country? Guess what they are telling us is we can decide for ourselves which laws apply and when. Good because I need a smoke and will just smoke where I want when I want! Give felons the right to vote but don’t DEMAND people show an ID because it will hurt the illegals?????? This country is a mess—- not the country my friends and Dad fought and died for…what a disgrace.
5:37 pm on February 2nd, 2010
@Jazzee – how does this bill penalize the “honest hard working children on parents who have NOT broken the law”? Natural born citizens who graduate from a Nebraska high school are also eligible to attend a state university and pay in-state rates.
@One out – Chances are none of these kid are receiving Pell Grants. They aren’t eligible for financial aid the same way citizen children are.
What I don’t understand is how we are all so upset about 35 kids getting a college education. Sure, the Universities could try to make a few more dollars off their tuition. The difference between in-state and out-of-state is $11, 050, that times 4 years, times 35 students is just over $1.5 million in potentially lost tuition dollars (I doubt that these students would go to college should they have to pay out-of-state rates, but that’s beside the point). Over a lifetime, the increase in taxes that these kids will pay to the state of Nebraska because they are able to get better jobs will more than make up for the tuition loss.
1:00 pm on February 8th, 2010
The lawmakers in Lincoln should read the “Federal Immigration and Nationality Act”. A person (including a group of persons, business, orgainization, or local government) commits a federal felony when she or he: knowingly assist illegal aliens due to personal convictions.
No matter how you entered the U.S. illegally, it is against the law and these people should be deported. If you are an illegal immigrant you should not be able to work here, it is against the law. Every person should ask this question, if a person entered the U.S. illegally, how are they working here, driving here, it is illegal. Our Elected Officials say it is up to the Federal Government to enforce our immigration laws. They are breaking State Laws, whey don’t they enforce them. Illegal immigration is against the law, we should not hire illegal immigrants and we should not patronize those who do.
Our laws for for everyone. Sen Brad Ashford, who represents my District, should do a little more about illegal immigration, instead of just talking about it.
11:44 am on August 1st, 2010
The best element about grants for higher education is that you can get no cost cash in order to pay for your level. present The averageIf you purely got an associates diploma, which will take close to 2 many years or 4 semesters of time, then you could make above $10,000 more per yr compared to if you just graduate from high university.