News (Noticias) for Nebraska

“This article is the fifth in a series of 15 stories that examine county government in Nebraska - how it came to be as it is, what it does, what it costs - and what it means to the people who live in central and western Nebraska and the people who work in county government. Each story was reported and written by students in the Depth Reporting class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications. The series also appears in The Telegraphs sister papers, the Kearney Hub and the Scottsbluff Star-Herald.

Dr. Oscar Sanchez and Fabiola Sandoval-Sierra both came to Nebraska within the last 15 years, but they arrived by very different routes.”

“A Sunday prayer vigil offered support to Grand Islands Hispanic community, which was shaken last week by a federal immigration raid at a meatpacking plant in the city.

“For many of us here, we came to this country to help provide a better life for our kids,” said Alvaro Paiz, president of the Grand Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “Its sad to see these kids crying because their fathers are in jail when all they wanted to do was come here to work.”"

“The first Spanish language chemical education class recently was held at Pathfinder Support Services in Fremont, a first for the area.

Prior to the first class with an interpreter on Dec. 9, Spanish-speaking people were forced to watch videotapes for the three- or eight-hour class, said Ermyl Leazenby, a certified drug and alcohol counselor at the agency.

“What everyone uses is the videotapes,” she said. “The tapes don’t go into the effects of alcohol and drugs on the body. They dealt more with values and beliefs.””

“Holiday profits arent necessarily in the bag this year following a round-up of illegal meat-packing workers.

“They want to come and buy some stuff, but theyre scared to come,” Maria Garcia said of her customers.

The aisles at Azteca Market have been empty. Just a few years ago, her shop stayed open four hours late on Christmas Eve to satisfy all her customers, who shopped until 11 that night.”

“After the arrest of 261 workers in Tuesdays federal raid of Grand Islands Swift & Co. plant, leaders of the citys Hispanic community are banding together to provide support and find answers.

An emergency meeting Wednesday afternoon of the Hispanic Leaders Group and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce stretched six hours as the groups discussed what direction to take next, said Odalys Perez, director of the Grand Island Multicultural Coalition.”

“A number of people in Grand Island still need help. Local organizations are coming to the aid of those families affected by the raid. A local Hispanic Church is delivering meals to those in need.

The Heartland United Way has received a grant from Swift and Company to help families impacted by the raid for necessities such as rent, utilities and prescriptions.”

“Alma Rawlings of Grand Island believes many children were separated from their parents as a result of Tuesdays Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE raid on the Swift plant.

Rawlings owns Latino Check Cashing on Fourth Street.”

“The raids on six Swift & Co. plants across the country could disrupt cattle markets and local economies, a beef marketing specialist says.

Losing a significant portion of its staff will cut into each plants daily slaughter, said Darrell Mark, a beef marketing specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.”

“On Wednesday afternoon, Linda Ponce hadn’t seen one customer come through the doors of Novedades Evelynn on Fourth Street in Grand Island.

Not one.

“There wasnt anyone who showed up and they were scared to go shopping,” Ponce said through translator Oscar Erives. “The fear was that ICE Immigration and Customs Enforcement was on the streets. People were looking at skin color; they were seeing if they were Hispanic.”"

“Grand Island officials and business leaders are considering the Swift raids economic impact on the community. Not only is it affecting the citys largest employer, but local Hispanic business owners say the raid has hurt their bottom line, as many of their Hispanic customers are now staying home.

With more than 2500 Grand Island employees, Swift and Companys economic future and the citys could go hand–in–hand.”

“In Nebraska, Grand Island police refused to be part of the raid at the plant in that city. Police Chief Steve Lamken said he met with ICE officials on Tuesday morning and told them his department would not be involved.

Lamken said his department has to take care of the Latino community, and participating in the raid may hamper his efforts if they fear the police.”

“Work at Grand Islands Swift & Co. beef processing plant came to a temporary halt on Tuesday when federal immigration officials raided the facility, looking for undocumented workers.

Unofficially, a source close to the situation estimated that between 200 and 250 workers were detained by the federal government in the raids wake.”

“Officials of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union UFCW went to court Tuesday, seeking an injunction on behalf of hundreds of workers hauled off by the federal government Tuesday during an immigration raid at Grand Islands Swift & Co. beef processing plant.”

“As Julian Ramirez scrambled to find care for his friends children on Tuesday, his anger at Immigration and Customs Enforcement could not be restrained.

“The immigration, they think its doing a great job, but its not because it breaks families,” Ramirez seethed. “A lot of kids stay by themselves like animals. Its not good.”"

“If theres one message Grand Island public schools Superintendent Steve Joel wants every parent to know in the wake of Tuesdays immigration raid, its that schools are places where children are safe, no matter who they are.

“We want parents to know schools are safe places, and we expect their children back in school tomorrow,” Joel said.”

“For social service agencies in Grand Island, Tuesdays immigration raid was like a bomb going off.

“Kids will come home and be alone with no explanation,” Grand Island public schools Superintendent Steve Joel said. “Children will be home with no adults, and well try to do something.”

The size and shape of the effort to help the displaced children hadnt taken shape Tuesday afternoon, but several representatives from different agencies were optimistic that the community would be out in force in the near future.”

“Nebraska is the nations leading red-meat-production state, and immigrants are the backbone of its labor force.

The raids on Swift & Co. plants on Tuesday has the potential of disrupting cattle markets and the local economy, a beef marketing specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said.

“The main things a beef packer is going to look at is the supply of fed cattle and labor,” UNLs Darrell Mark said. “The beef packing industry has always been very reliant on an immigrant labor force.”"

“”Who is Immigration to decide the fate of children?:

With six kids at home, Kelly Ruiz feared their father wouldnt be coming home.

“I dont know if hes OK,” she said after the government raid. “I dont know if they put him on a bus somewhere. I have no idea.”"

“State policy must be more welcoming to immigrants if Iowa and two other Midwest states are to thrive economically, a trio of experts said Tuesday.

“We need people in Iowa, and we need them now,” said Mark Grey, director of the Iowa Center for Immigrant Leadership and Integration and a professor at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls.

Grey joined with colleagues from Minnesota and Nebraska to write a report, “Immigration’s New Frontiers: Experiences from the Emerging Gateway States,” sponsored by the Century Foundation, a think tank based in New York City. Davenport native Jim Leach, longtime congressional representative, is a foundation director.”