In a small Nebraska town, a wave of unease has sparked a community effort to educate residents about their rights amidst immigration enforcement concerns. The initiative, driven by a retired city administrator, highlights the pressing need for information and assurance in these uncertain times.
Jo Leyland, once a city administrator, was prompted to take action after rumors about immigration enforcement circulated. She initially reached out to nonprofits seeking informational materials about immigration rights. Instead, Nebraska Appleseed, a nonprofit focused on immigrant advocacy, offered to travel nearly four hours from Lincoln to Imperial.
“I wanted to educate people, both with brown and white faces, about what could be done if the worst thing happened and ICE did show up,” Leyland explained.
Following a presentation at a local church, Leyland distributed Know Your Rights cards provided by Nebraska Appleseed at the town fair. The city also stocked brochures at the library and municipal offices, all of which were quickly taken by the community.
Efforts and Challenges in Education
Ruby Méndez López, a community organizer with Nebraska Appleseed, detailed the nonprofit’s longstanding commitment to workers’ rights training. Since the beginning of the year, they have conducted around 20 Know Your Rights sessions throughout Nebraska, aimed at informing both immigrants and locals about their legal rights in case of enforcement actions.
Despite the demand for such information, Méndez López noted the difficulty in encouraging attendance at these sessions. “If we publicly post Know Your Rights information, people get really nervous about showing up,” she said. The fear of exposing one’s immigration status or attracting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) causes many to stay away.
In Imperial, although the majority of attendees at the session were white, attempts to organize smaller gatherings specifically for migrant workers were met with apprehension. The fear of public exposure remains a significant barrier.
Context and Community Reaction
Méndez López described how fear has fluctuated over the years, particularly intensifying when President Donald Trump assumed office in 2025 and following a significant immigration raid in Omaha, which resulted in 75 detentions by ICE. The aftermath saw a surge of unverified rumors about further raids in various towns, causing widespread anxiety on social media platforms.
“People were just not showing up to work,” Méndez López recounted. “When there’s rumors that are unverified, it disrupts people’s lives entirely … it’s hard to know what to believe.”
At a local fair, the atmosphere was a mix of excitement and lingering unease, as community members enjoyed events like a bilingual bingo game hosted by the Lions Club, yet remained aware of the uncertain times they are navigating.
