Photo by George Lauby Gov. Dave Heineman

After a setback in the Legislature, Gov. Dave Heineman is continuing to try to stop illegal immigrants from receiving state and local welfare benefits.

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With Heineman’s encouragement, Sen. Mike Friend of Omaha introduced a bill that would verify the legal immigration status of anyone applying for welfare. The Legislature's judiciary committee killed the bill last week.

Now, in a letter Heineman sent Monday to newspapers across Nebraska, he is asking the committee to reconsider its decision.

And, to show how the system would work, Heineman invites the media to demonstration of the federal government’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements March 5 in Lincoln.

Under the bill, anyone applying for benefits would sign an affidavit declaring they are either a U.S. citizen or a resident alien. Agencies would then check that information against a federal database. Applicants determined to be in the country illegally would be denied.

The bill would prohibit an illegal immigrant from obtaining state or local retirement benefits, welfare, health, disability, public housing, postsecondary education, food assistance, and unemployment benefits, Heineman said.

The bill would not impact K-12 education, emergency medical assistance and short-term emergency disaster relief, which are mandated to be provided to illegal immigrants by the federal government.

To read Heineman’s letter, click on “Opinion”, above.