Garcia said that limiting immigrants’ ability to remain in the country legally is what often pushes people to “borrow” or “make up” false identifications. It is for the “sole purpose of working and nothing else, because there has been no other way for them to adjust their status and work under their own proper name or identification.”

“But our comprehensive immigration reform efforts have not gone through yet, unfortunately. And it’s still badly needed,” García said.

In researching alternatives for E-Verify with guidance from Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., DHS and federal authorities, Hartmann said the options he was presented included temporary work visa programs such as H-1A — meant for industries dealing with workforce shortages — and H-2B, for nonagricultural jobs. But because these immigration programs are for seasonal workers, “it doesn’t fit our needs,” Hartmann said. Saying goodbye to workers every six months is “not building a business.”

Hartmann wishes government officials would consider creating a limited period of amnesty for undocumented people who “meet certain qualifications” such as never having committed a crime, a desire to work, pay taxes and be part of the community. This could be a temporary remedy for people looking to get legal immigration status, he suggested.

While that might not be the answer to the larger immigration issue, he said it’s “some version that makes sense.”

“There should be no problem with that,” Hartmann said, “to just stop the bleeding, stop the problem.”

A new generation of residents speak out

Elizondo organized Friday’s protest with the help and support of other more experienced Latino and immigrant rights advocates. A group of them met on Thursday afternoon at a downtown Omaha restaurant to plan the demonstration. They shared advice on how to work with local law enforcement to ensure the protests remained peaceful and focused on how immigration raids are hurting their communities, the community activists said.

“That has made the new generation speak up,” Rosa la Puente, one of the advocates mentoring Elizondo, said about the recent events.

Many in the community are questioning the timing of the Omaha raid, wondering if the city was targeted for political reasons. When asked about this at a news conference on Wednesday, Ewing said, “I don’t know why Omaha was targeted.”

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Demonstrators are gathering in nearly 2,000 locations across the U.S. on Saturday—including 13 cities in Nebraska—to protest policies enacted by President Donald Trump.

The coordinated demonstrations, called the “No Kings” protests, coincide with a military parade in Washington, D.C., marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. The date also aligns with Flag Day and Trump’s 79th birthday.

Protests were planned in Nebraska cities including Lincoln, Omaha, Fremont, Columbus, Norfolk, Hastings, Grand Island, Kearney, North Platte, Ogallala, Alliance, Scottsbluff and Chadron.

As of 9:30 a.m., around 1,000 demonstrators lined both sides of O Street in downtown Lincoln. Cars traveling down O Street honked in support of the rally.

Organized by the 50501 Movement—representing 50 states, 50 protests, one movement—the demonstrations call for Trump to be “dethroned,” accusing him of behaving more like a monarch than a democratically elected leader.

The protests in Nebraska followed an ICE raid earlier in the week at Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha, where 76 workers were detained. Federal officials said the individuals were using Social Security numbers that were not theirs. The raid was part of Trump’s “Take Back America Task Force,” an initiative that aims to stop illegal immigration.

Gov. Jim Pillen issued an emergency proclamation activating the Nebraska National Guard on Friday, citing plans for widespread protesting at many cities across the country over the weekend.

“The proclamation is a precautionary measure in reaction to recent instances of civil unrest across the country,” the news release states.

The order also deploys additional law enforcement resources, including state patrol.

“Nebraska National Guard members and Nebraska State troopers will be prepared to assist in any civil disturbance, and in particular, to secure the College World Series and its surrounding areas,” Friday’s news release states. “Under normal conditions, National Guard activation can take 12 to 24 hours. This proclamation shortens that time to ensure troop resources are available and standing by, as needed.”

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Going into his 31st season as a coach, John Butler brings over a decade of professional football experience as coached in the National Football League and more than 20 years in college football. 

Butler got his first coaching breakthrough at Texas, where he came in as a graduate assistant in 1997 after serving as the defensive coordinator at his alma mater, The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C., since 1995. While Butler only spent two seasons at Texas, he was on the sidelines for the Longhorns’ 38-11 win over Mississippi State in the Cotton Bowl. 

Shortly after, Butler accepted a full-time position as Midwestern State’s defensive coordinator, where he spent two years before going back to Texas to become Texas State’s new special teams coordinator. In 2003, Butler was appointed as Harvard’s new special teams coordinator and linebackers coach, where he spent the next three seasons with the Crimson and helping them go an undefeated 10-0 season and win the Ivy League title.  

Butler’s first major coaching gig came in the fall of 2007, where he served as Minnesota’s special teams coordinator and linebackers coach during a Big Ten era defined by legendary head coach Jim Tressel. In his second season, the Golden Gophers earned the 20th spot in AP rankings, as Butler’s strategic mindset ranked Minnesota inside the top 10 across all special teams categories. 

After only four seasons with the Golden Gophers, Butlers became South Carolina’s special teams coordinator in 2011, helping lead the Gamecocks to one of their best seasons in program history. That year, The Gamecocks finished their season ranking inside the top 10 nationally and finished with a 11-2 record. Butler’s early success in South Carolina caught the attention of other programs, as after just one season in Columbia, he would go on to become Penn State’s secondary coach in 2012, and eventually get promoted to defensive coordinator by the following year. 

Under head coach Bill O’Brien, Butler thrived defensively, making the Nittany Lions one of best defenses in the nation-both against the run and the pass. During his time in University Park, his defense consistently ranked among the highest-scoring defenses across the nation, catching the eye of coaches in the National Football League. 

In 2014 Bill O’Brien became the new head coach for the Houston Texans, bringing in his Penn State coaching staff, including Butler. For three seasons, Butler served as the Texans’ secondary coach, helping transform the Texans into one of the NFL’s best defenses and winning two AFC South titles. His defensive impact on the sidelines spoke for itself, ranking inside the top five for fewest yards allowed, fewest completions, and in the top three for forced turnovers. 

In 2018, Butler was named the Buffalo Bills’ defensive backs coach, where he spent the next four seasons before becoming the team’s passing game coordinator from 2022 to 2023. During his six years in Buffalo, the Bills continued to display their defensive success under Butler, who developed a young talented defense into a secondary filled with All-Pro players on the defensive end. His success in Buffalo came with five consecutive playoff appearances and AFC East titles and a trip to the AFC Championship in 2020. 

Ranking in the top three in least total yards allowed per game, touchdowns allowed, and turnovers forced in each of his season, Butler’s impact in Buffalo’s secondary was inevitable-and the Cornhusker took notice. Butler joined Nebraska’s staff as their pass game coordinator in 2024, helping elevate an already much improved defense into one of the best units in the country. 

The departure of Tony White to become Florida State’s new defensive coordinator, left Nebraska with a vacancy in their coaching staff. Head coach Matt Rhule appointed Butler as the new defensive coordinator, where he made his play-calling debut in the Pinstripe Bowl game against Boston College.

Butler’s defense held the Eagles to just two points in the first half, showcasing relentless and aggressive attitude on the defensive side of the ball. The Cornhuskers would go on to win 20-15 against the Eagles, marking their first Bowl win since 2015, making Butler’s debut a memorable moment in both his coaching career and school’s history. 

While fans only got a small glimpse of Butler’s defense, they can expect a blitz-heavy scheme, with as many as six rushers-confusing opposing quarterbacks and creating constant pressure in the pocket. Butler’s NFL experience provides complex, disguised coverages that create mismatches for offenses while trusting his defensive backs in man-to-man coverage. His exotic, big-play approach will be on full display in second and third downs, where Nebraska’s new-look defense will need to be aggressive and unpredictable to disrupt opposing offenses. Butler will continue to build on Nebraska’s recent defensive success, forcing turnovers both on the ground and through the air, allowing this young, talented defensive unit to thrive in Butler’s high-risk, high-reward playing style.       

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