Building a fence along the Mexican border and fighting over proposed immigration restrictions in Fremont are a lot more visible right now than any new paths to citizenship.

But that didn't stop Nebraska advocates of a more welcoming attitude from stepping forward to make their case in Lincoln and Omaha Monday.

"I can't tell you how devastating it is to me to see that fence as an American citizen," the Rev. Chuck Bentjen said at the Lincoln launch of the National Campaign to Reform Immigration for America.

Bentjen, based in Lincoln with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, was one of about two dozen people from Nebraska social advocacy organizations to line up at the Capitol Rotunda over the noon hour with red, white and blue signs promoting the national campaign.

Despite polls suggesting more tolerant attitudes, "it's astonishing to me that exactly the opposite is happening with public policy," he said.

In fact, there's no sign that a path to citizenship and other proposed reforms put forward during the Bush Administration will be resurrected any time soon by President Barack Obama.

The reform coalition is hoping that calling attention to what it sees as a broken system will create a new sense of urgency.

The list of goals at the national level includes better wages, better working conditions and labor protection for immigrant workers and rules that make it harder for employers to cheat them.

Diana Kuhl of Fremont and Karen Buchfinck of Crete would like see something happen that's outside the crackdown mode.

Kuhl alluded to the tense atmosphere in Fremont, where a citizen group has been pushing for a ban on hiring and housing of people who entered the country illegally.

As she and others await action on a related ordinance from the Nebraska Court of Appeals, Kuhl cited feedback from a Fremont elementary school teacher.

"She has young children crying during the day in class, because they're afraid, at the end of the day, their parents won't be there to pick them up."

Guidance counselor Buchfinck said Nebraska leaders are worried about the brain drain that goes with an exodus of young people.

"And yet we have incredible students graduating who can be of benefit to our state."

The Lincoln-based Nebraska Appleseed is another member of a reform effort that is building toward an immigration summit in Washington, D.C., Wednesday through Friday.

Reach Art Hovey at 473-7223 or ahovey@journalstar.com.