"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door." - Inscription on the Statue of Liberty

First of all, this is not a pro-life vs. pro-choice debate. That is not a topic I am ready to tackle. However, as a mom, any issue that puts children at risk pulls at my heart.

Since around 1990, Nebraska has provided, regardless of citizenship, prenatal coverage via Medicaid to unborn children of low-income women. A recent initiative from the Department of Health and Human Services, though, has changed the eligibility of this provision to the woman, not the unborn child. Women now must apply for Medicaid coverage for themselves, and if they do not have U.S. citizenship, they are ineligible.

Thus, babies being carried by illegal immigrants in our state were basically stripped of government-funded health care as of March 1. The result: 842 undocumented pregnant women lost access to health coverage, said Tiffany Seibert, policy coordinator for Voices for Children in Nebraska, a non-profit child advocacy organization.

One could argue that it seems Gov. Dave Heineman thinks babies born to illegal immigrants only matter once they are outside of their mother's womb. Once these babies are born, they are citizens of the United States and are then afforded all the rights and privileges that come with citizenship.

But it's basic economics to me: It's more cost-effective to properly care for a child while it's in utero than to wait until after the baby is born.

Because without basic prenatal care, these innocent babies are more likely to be born with a low birth weight and could suffer life-long disabilities or even early death. These are expensive disabilities. And expensive problems.

(For the record, Heineman has said all women should get the prenatal care they need. "It just shouldn't be the taxpayers and the government" paying for it.)

We live in Nebraska. “The Good Life,” right? We are happy to pay taxes to fix potholes, support our school system and pay our politicians. But babies born to immigrants aren't a worthy cause?

Call me lucky. I was born in America, my children were born in America. I have always had health insurance. My first trips to the OB-GYN after I found those two little pink lines on a supermarket pregnancy test are among some of the most joyous memories I have in my 29 years. I went without worry that my precious babies would be properly cared for. I received all the vitamins, blood tests and ultrasounds I needed to take care of my daughters before they were born.

I firmly believe that immigrant or not, these unborn babies deserve vitamins and basic care.

These unborn babies deserve a chance for a healthy life.

State senators will debate LB 1110 in upcoming weeks. This bill would restore prenatal health coverage to low-income women, regardless of citizenship.

Voices for Children has set up a Web site for more information on this sensitive issue. Please take a moment to become informed. And if you have an opinion, please let your voice be heard!

Sarah Tucker is married with five children. She works full-time from home. Read her blogs every Sunday on momaha.com.

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