SOUTH OMAHA — Federal immigration authorities detained 76 employees at the Glenn Valley Foods meatpacking plant in South Omaha during an enforcement action in June. Authorities accused the detained workers of using stolen Social Security numbers for employment.
One individual was charged, pleaded guilty, and received a one-year prison sentence in connection with the raid. Community leaders held a press conference regarding the raid and subsequent immigration actions. Many of the individuals detained at Glenn Valley Foods remain in immigration proceedings, while others were granted bond and reunited with their families.
Approximately 10 of the 76 arrested individuals self-deported, according to Douglas County Commissioner Roger Garcia. At least 63 workers were transferred to the Lincoln County Detention Center, which is located approximately four hours from South Omaha. Garcia's wife's aunt was among the workers detained; she was held for about two months before her release on bond, and is a mother of three U.S.-born children.
"If they're meant to make our community safer, they're not doing that." Garcia said. He added that individuals who are released later face ongoing pressure from the immigration system. "They have this constant pressure of being tied up in that system that might ultimately lead to deportation eventually." Garcia's wife's aunt and other detained individuals received temporary work permits pending immigration court hearings.
Luis Mejía, 20, was working at Glenn Valley Foods when immigration officers entered the facility. Officers requested U.S. citizenship documentation from Mejía. "I didn't know how to do that since I've never been asked that before. I looked at the officer with confusion and told him I was born here." Mejía said. Officers verified his status in a database and allowed him to leave. Mejía's mother instructed him to care for his younger siblings before she left the workplace. Mejía received a call from his mother hours later confirming she had been detained, and he and his older brother assumed care for their two younger siblings.
Two community surveys indicate that business health and customer traffic remain low in the South Omaha business district. A survey by the Nebraska Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of 40 local business owners found that uncertainty and misinformation regarding immigration enforcement affected consumer behavior. The surveyed businesses included seven restaurants and food trucks, 18 retail establishments, and three construction companies. Three business owners surveyed reported plans to transition operations online. Irma Villezcas, chair of the South Omaha Business Association, stated that six businesses shut down due to workforce retention challenges. Community leaders organized a Day of Joy event to support businesses on the 24th Street corridor.