***For Immediate Release***
August 15, 2018
Contact, Jeff Sheldon
Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed
Office: (402) 438-8853
Mobile: (402) 840-7289
Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org
Nebraska civic, community, business, faith leaders call for updated immigration laws
Leaders demand Congressional action in wake of communities devastated by ICE raids
Wednesday, more than 80 Nebraska civic, community, business, and faith leaders urged Nebraska’s members of Congress to take action to fix outdated immigration laws in order to prevent a repeat of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that shattered families and devastated communities in north central Nebraska last week.
The letter, released today to Nebraska’s Congressional delegation and the press, also praised the outpouring of support and healing actions from neighbors, friends, and other members of the affected communities in an uplifting display of unity during such a difficult time.
“The strength of our towns is tied to secure, united families,” a portion of the letter reads. “Time and time again, Nebraska communities have seen how raids like the one in O’Neill and in other communities across the country spread panic and confusion all over a town, making the entire city less safe.”
Read the entire letter and list of signatories here
The leaders continue to call for Nebraska’s U.S. Senators Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse, and Congressmen Jeff Fortenberry, Don Bacon, and Adrian Smith to lead efforts for updating our country’s damaging, antiquated immigration laws and prevent even more Nebraska communities from facing the damage and trauma seen in O’Neill, Ainsworth, and other communities last week.
“How many more communities are going to have to suffer this devastation before our federal leaders take action?” the letter says. “We call on Nebraska’s members of Congress to take action to fix our outdated and harmful immigration laws so they are rooted in Nebraska’s values.”
The raids in Nebraska last week, which broke families apart and led to dire economic circumstances within the community, are the latest in a pattern of immigration raids that have targeted hard-working families and spread terror within American communities. In June, ICE agents raided a landscaping company and a food processing facility in Ohio, which followed an April raid of a meatpacking plant in Tennessee.
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