This has been a difficult week as family members, friends, and all of us have been experiencing the impacts of devastating ICE raids in Omaha that have detained Nebraska neighbors and are causing destabilizing ripple effects across the community and throughout the state.
As everyone is working to support and respond, don’t forget to contact Nebraska’s members of Congress, who are right now considering the big budget (reconciliation) package that would drastically increase funding for more of this kind of sweeping and harmful enforcement of outdated laws.
Senate committees have started releasing their proposals, and just like the House, the Senate is proposing the single biggest increase in history for funding for extreme enforcement of long-outdated immigration laws. The proposed $150 billion – much of it without restrictions – includes family detention and jailing on an unimaginable scale (more than 13 times the previous year detention budget), a slush fund for immigration agents and operations that would disrupt communities on an increasingly massive scale, and exorbitant amounts for border wall and militarization approaches, rather than border governance approaches.
The Senate could vote as soon as this month on passage of the budget reconciliation bill.
Contact Senator Ricketts and Senator Fischer right away to let them know that this week’s sweeping enforcement against longtime community members – and unprecedented spending for continued harsh enforcement in the budget bill – is contrary to our values and harmful to Nebraska. They should vote NO on spending for separating Nebraska families – NO to devastating cuts to health care and food assistance – NO to tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.
Call or Email your Senators TODAY
Then if you haven’t already, take an extra moment to contact your House member to let them know your deep concern about what passed in the House budget reconciliation package.
Last, here are a few important resources to reshare:
- Know Your Rights & Safety Planning resources
- Rules and Resources for Nebraska School Officials
- A Guide for Employers: What to Do If Immigration Comes to Your Workplace
- How to Find a Loved One After an Immigration Arrest
Thank you for everything you are doing to stand together with our Nebraska neighbors!