Legislative committee hears effects of illegal immigration

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BY JoANNE YOUNG / Lincoln Journal Star

SCHUYLER — They may argue illegal immigration is a federal issue, with implications for the state.

But it’s communities — like Schuyler, Scottsbluff and Crete  —  that are being forced to adapt and figure out how to best live with undocumented residents.

In Nebraska, it’s primarily Hispanic immigrants, some who have entered the country illegally, who are swelling school enrollments, putting pressure on small hospitals and straining traditional lifestyles.

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Schuyler-area residents representing education, law enforcement, business, government and health care met Wednesday to talk about the effect of immigration on their city. Three state senators —Brad Ashford of Omaha, DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln and Chris Langemeier of Schuyler — listened.

The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee has scheduled a series of meetings around the state to talk to residents about issues surrounding immigration. The one in Schuyler was the fifth.

In each town, senators have heard a variation on the same themes. The number of immigrants are impacting economies and draining resources.

Health care and law enforcement are dealing with people with no IDs, or with multiple IDS, and people living in fear.

All the issues result from the inconsistencies in enforcing federal laws, Ashford said.

“The human toll on families and communities struggling to deal with these issues is incredible,” he said.

In a dozen years, Hispanic enrollment in Schuyler Community Schools has gone from around 8 percent to 65 percent. Four hundred-fifty of those students have to learn English, said Superintendent Robin Stevens.

Many immigrants come from places without democratic governments, said Schuyler Police Chief Lennie Hiltner. Some are highly transient.

They fear reporting crimes in which they are the victims or witnesses.

Hiltner said he saw an illegal immigrant plead guilty in court to a crime she had not committed to take attention off herself.

But unless immigrants are arrested for a crime, the police don’t care about legal status, he said.

Fear is a huge issue, both in Schuyler and across the state.

So is the need for some type of ID cards, some way undocumented immigrants could function within the system, said attorney Dick Seckman. 

Connie Peters, Memorial Hospital administrator, said having an ID in health care is a big deal.

In some cases, one patient who comes in for treatment may have three records from using different false identifications.

“For us it’s not about documentation status,” she said. “We just want to know who they are.”

Some said businesses in the area were struggling to get employees because white residents were moving out of town. Some churches are hanging on by a thread after losing many of their members who moved away. Hispanic residents tend to establish their own churches.

The town is also losing its volunteer base. 

Steve Thompson, Cargill vice president and general manager, recently moved to Schuyler from Hereford, Texas.

“From my perspective, we have to adapt, not cast stones,” he said.

The immigrants are here for good, he said, and communities must figure out how they are going to deal with the effects rather than continuing to think immigrants have to go.

If they were forced to leave, he said, the economy would come to to a screeching halt.

“We’re going to have to change the way we do business and make them a part of it,” Thompson said.

“In 10 to 15 years, they are going to be living the great American dream the way we are.”

The schools don’t look at their  Hispanic students as illegal immigrants, Stevens said, but rather as students who have to be educated.

“I don’t care if they are illegal,” he said.

Leaders said Hispanic residents need to be integrated into all aspects of the community life. Right now, they said, there is a separatist attitude among many Hispanics.

No Hispanic residents were at the meeting, although they were invited, Langemeier said.

Schimek said if she were in this country from Mexico, she would be distrustful, too, and not want to participate in the community.

She worries about the kids, and all their negative experiences, she said.

Still, the cities the committee has visited are making progress, Schimek said.

“But until the federal government acts, problems will remain with us.”

Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com.