In today’s Omaha World Herald, former Los Angeles police chief and former New York City police commissioner William Bratton outlines the perils of requiring local police to serve as immigration agents: “Keeping America’s neighborhoods safe requires our police forces to have the trust and help of everyone in our communities. My nearly 40 years in […]
Since Arizona passed its divisive and unconstitutional immigration law last April, many top law enforcement officials have raised serious concerns about the approach. Police officials have argued that such laws are an unfunded mandate on local police, reduce officers, undermine community policing, and force local departments to allocate more officers to processing immigration status for
Nebraska Police Chief Describes Problems with Arizona-Style Bill Read More »
A small business of her own. A chance to coach sports. A college degree. These are just a few of the American Dreams of Nebraskans profiled in “Opportunity: Points of View” a new photography exhibit supported by Nebraska Appleseed. The exhibit reflects the stories of hardworking Nebraskans who have overcome life obstacles, ranging from a
Opportunity: Points of View Read More »
Nebraskans will lose if efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act succeed. Today the House of Representatives will hold a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Yet, the vote takes place at a time when less than 25% of people support total repeal and majority want to leave the law as is or do
Nebraskans Will Lose If Health Reform Is Repealed Read More »
Omaha Sen. Brenda Council today introduced a common-sense alternative to an Arizona-style bill — a resolution for immigration reform “modeled after the Utah Compact, a statement of principles developed by a broad coalition of Utah politicians, businesses, civic groups, law enforcement and religious leaders” (Lincoln Journal Star 1/18/11). “It’s very powerful,” said Judiciary Chairman Brad
Omaha Senator Offers Alternative to Arizona-style Bill Read More »
Archbishop Lucas and the Omaha Archdiocese have released a statement saying that “immigration is of extreme interest and concern to Nebraskans and the Catholic Church” and calling for “civility, respectfulness, and common decency” in the statewide discussion. The statement provides a number of useful teaching resources, saying that “the task of welcoming immigrants, refugees, and
Statement on Immigration by Catholic Archbishop Read More »
$16.39 per hour. That’s what it takes to “make ends meet” for a single parent with a preschooler in Omaha. It’s $15.38 in Lincoln, and $11.66 in Scottsbluff. These numbers are just a few examples of the wages needed by families in Nebraska based on the newly released “Self-Sufficiency Standard for Nebraska 2010” released by
What it Really Means to “Make Ends Meet” in Nebraska Read More »
Yesterday, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced, on the first day of the legislative session which is largely overshadowed by the projected budget deficit, that they “found” $19 million to inject into the state’s faltering child welfare reform effort. Nebraska Appleseed has said from the beginning that the reform is underfunded
Injection of Funds into Faltering Child Welfare Privatization Raises Questions Read More »
Despite majority support for the DREAM Act in the House, the Senate, and the American public, Nebraska’s Congressional delegation, to a member, voted against the bill, which was procedurally blocked from moving forward by a filibuster in the Senate on Saturday. The DREAM Act would allow students who were brought to this country at a
This week, the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 was signed into law. The bill is a win for children’s health and well-being in Nebraska and nationwide. Watching the bill become a law in a signing ceremony that was (appropriately) held at Harriet Tubman Elementary School, I was proud of the work that Nebraskans