Nelson challenges Ricketts on immigration

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BY DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star

After pocketing his third major national business organization endorsement, Sen. Ben Nelson said Tuesday immigration reform will be an issue in his Senate contest with Pete Ricketts.

Nelson formally received the endorsement of the 600,000-member National Federation of Independent Business during a stop  at Central Lumber Sales in Lincoln.

Responding to questions from newsmen, the Democratic senator once again made his case for focusing on enhanced border security before considering more comprehensive immigration reform.

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Nelson

Nelson

Asked if immigration policy would become an issue in his race with his Republican challenger, Nelson said: “It already is.”

“It’s my understanding (Ricketts) has adopted the Hagel approach” of supporting a pathway to legal status for illegal immigrants living in the United States.

Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel led the way in crafting a Senate compromise that opened such a path for most of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants already here.

Nelson opposed the plan, which was included in a comprehensive bill approved by the Senate.  He  warned again Tuesday that the legislation will lead to an impasse with the House that may result in no bill at all.

Ricketts said he would have voted for the Senate bill.

“I do think we need a comprehensive solution that starts with securing our borders,” he said in a telephone interview from Omaha. 

“We hire our senators and congressmen to address tough issues, not dodge them.”

One of those tough issues is how to deal with the millions of illegal immigrant workers already living here, he said. 

“I don’t support amnesty,” Ricketts said.  The path to legal status “holds people accountable,” he said, requiring them to pay fines, learn English, submit to background checks, pay any back taxes  and demonstrate an employment history.

Nelson has described the Senate proposal as amnesty.

“It cannot be squared with the House version,” he said.  The House measure focuses solely on enhanced border security and increased penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrant workers.

Over the weekend, Nelson noted, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wisc, flatly rejected any House-Senate conference compromise that would include a pathway to legal status.

If neither side budges and there is no border enhancement legislation, Nelson said, the number of illegal immigrants in the United States soon will grow to 13 million or 14 million.

NFIB jointed BIPAC (Business-Industry Political Action Committee) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in handing the Democratic senator strong business support.

Nelson’s support for health care legislation, lower taxes and repeal of the federal estate tax “makes this endorsement an easy choice,” said Bob Hallstrom, executive director of Nebraska NFIB.

Hallstrom pointed in particular to Nelson’s legislative proposal to allow small business associations to band members together to offer group health care coverage.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.