More than 100 young immigrants in the balcony exchanged standing applause with state senators Wednesday after the legislature overrode Gov. Pete Ricketts' veto of a bill clearing a pathway for them to acquire professional and commercial licenses to work in Nebraska.
Following a tense two-hour debate, senators voted 31-13 to override the veto of LB947. That was one more than the 30 required to enact legislation over the governor's objections.
The bill will allow so-called DACA youth who have been granted lawful presence in the United States by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive action taken by President Barack Obama to acquire licenses to work in the state.
Most of those young immigrants were brought to the United States by their parents illegally when they were young children and most of those affected by the bill grew up in Nebraska and went to school here.
