Pillen orders Nebraska agencies to fall in line with Trump immigration crackdown

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Nebraska Examiner

Civil rights group warns: ‘We will see them in court’ if legal lines are crossed

By: Cindy Gonzalez - January 24, 2025 8:57 pm

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen Friday ordered state agencies to take steps to carry out President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown — including telling the Nebraska State Patrol and prison leaders to alert federal officials about suspected immigration law-breakers.

The executive order establishes Nebraska’s “Support for Federal Immigration Policy Implementation” program, and sets a May 31 deadline to meet all requirements laid out by Pillen to fulfill Trump’s Jan 20 executive orders.

“This document demonstrates Nebraska’s alignment with the new federal immigration policy and provides guidance to state agencies for carrying out provisions contained in the President’s recently issued executive orders,” the missive said.

ACLU fires back

ACLU Nebraska immediately fired back, noting that Pillen’s order references several Trump executive orders that include language referring to undocumented immigrants as part of an “invasion.”


Gov. Jim Pillen signed an executive order Friday that compels state agencies, including the Nebraska State Patrol and Department of Correctional Services, to take steps to follow President Donald Trump's Jan. 20 executive orders cracking down on illegal immigration. He is shown speaking to the Legislature on Jan. 15, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)


Read more: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/24/pillen-orders-nebraska-agencies-to-fall-in-line-with-trump-immigration-crackdown/

[underpants]

1. Meanwhile, Nebraska farms are dying for workers

Immigrants drive Nebraska's economy. Trump's mass deportations pledge is a threat

Nebraska is one of the top meat producers in the U.S. It also has one of the worst labor shortages in the country. For every 100 jobs, there are only 39 workers, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.


LINCOLN, Neb. — Every so often, Al Juhnke, executive director of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, says he'll get a phone call from one of his farmers about how to solve Nebraska's severe labor shortage..

It goes something like this: "Al, I got a great idea. Why don't we invite any immigrants? Legal, illegal … I don't care. Invite them to Nebraska because we have lots of openings out on our farm and we need help."


Juhnke says attracting workers to Nebraska is not about wages. The average pay for a meat trimmer is close to $18 an hour — well above the state minimum of $13.50. "These are good paying jobs in the plants," he says. "People say, 'Well, just double or triple the pay [and] you'll get United States citizens to work.' No, you won't."

In the past few years, Juhnke and several dozen other Nebraska advocacy and business groups formed an alliance to demand reform of federal immigration laws and state policy. Among their requests: expanded worker visa programs, and a pathway to residency for immigrants already living in the U.S.

https://www.npr.org/2025/01/17/g-s1-42134/immigration-trump-mass-deportation-nebraska-economy-workers

[shawn703]

2. FAFO

Red state shouldn’t have been red if they cared about their economy