Push to restrict benefits for illegal immigrants fails

Lawmakers have killed more than two dozen wide-reaching proposals targeting illegal immigrants, from establishing English as the state?s official languageto requiring proof of citizenship for all public benefits.

Surviving, however, are a Democrat-sponsored study of the state?s immigration footprint and a task force to study the preservation of “heritage languages.” Both are victories for immigration advocates, but they say combating the annual crop of anti-immigration legislation is becoming increasingly difficult.