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FREMONT, Neb. -- Republican Gov. Dave Heineman put his opponent on notice Saturday that illegal immigration would be a frequently used arrow in his campaign quiver.
Heineman said Democratic nominee Mike Meister was ignoring the will of the people by supporting "amnesty" for illegal immigrants. The governor also told 364 delegates at the Nebraska Republican Party's state convention that he stands on his economic record.
“What Democratic governor has a lower unemployment rate than Nebraska? The silence is deafening,” said Heineman, who noted that the state's unemployment rate of 4.8 percent is about half the national rate.
Meister, a Scottsbluff attorney, received his party's nomination for governor last weekend.
He has said he supports legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
“I do not think this is an important issue in this race. It's a federal issue,” Meister said Saturday in an interview. He said his campaign will center on the economy.
Meister also said Heineman's focus on the unemployment rate ignores the “underemployment rate,” which includes people who take jobs below their education and skill levels to feed their families.
Heineman addressed the GOP convention in the city where voters adopted a controversial ordinance to ban the hiring of illegal immigrants.
The measure, which has attracted national attention, also would make it illegal to rent to undocumented workers.
In the face of two lawsuits challenging the ordinance, the Fremont City Council has put the measure on hold.
The ordinance did not come up at the convention, but delegates did approve a resolution urging the Nebraska Legislature to adopt an Arizona-style immigration law.
The Arizona law would, among other things, allow law enforcement officers to question people whom they suspect of being illegal immigrants. A federal judge struck down key provisions of the law before it went into effect Thursday.
Heineman said he is willing to consider an Arizona-style law in consultation with Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning.
“Conceptually, we are prepared to take a very serious look at the Arizona law,” he said.
Meister said the “last thing” Nebraska needed was to adopt an Arizona-style immigration law that would instantly result in a lawsuit.
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