As the current president continues to implement new laws and regulations on immigration in the U.S, Omaha, with its diverse community, will continue to be a city that is greatly affected by these changes within the country.
Over the past summer, multiple ice raids were seen happening throughout the city of Omaha. This has taken a major tole on students, and has started to affect them in multiple ways.
“I felt scared for my extended family, after hearing the news. Not so much of my immediate family because I knew that we have access to different resources, but I definitely feel for those who aren’t as fortunate. It’s not easy to go out to work, or to school, or just doing daily tasks and not knowing if you’ll be going home that night,” Michelle Dieguez said.
As people living in Omaha are experiencing fear for their own futures, these laws following immigration status will eventually affect the entire city of Omaha, not only those belonging to immigrant families.
“If this continues, I don’t see a positive future for the city of Omaha, if I’m honest. The city of Omaha is incredibly diverse, with many people working being immigrants, and if not, the children of immigrants. It will most likely go down hill. Omaha’s diversity is what makes Omaha for what it is,” Dieguez said.
Instead of putting Omaha’s diversity and city being at risk, along with the rest of the country, students believe that the country could handle the situation in a better manner.
“If documentation is an issue to the president or to our government, I feel like they should definitely make getting citizenships and other documents more accessible for the people living here,” Jai-Lani Fagnon said.
“Almost all immigrants come to the country with nothing. I feel like people would feel safer, and less fearful if the government made getting documents more accessible, because they’d feel more supported,” Fagnon said.
In many ways advocating for the rights of immagrants can bring people together. In other ways some may feel helpless, that they may not know what to do or how to speak up.
“In my opinion this is all about basic human rights. Nobody should be scared to leave their home to simply put food on the table for their loved ones,” Vincente Case said.
“People shouldn’t view this as just politics. I feel as if that steers people away and makes them scared to talk about it. It should be something discussed without fear, and instead something that is brought to light and raise awareness to,” Case said.
