Video from Omaha: (3 minutes)

ICE pulled a raid on a meat packing plant just across the Iowa border in Omaha, Nebraska Wednesday morning. 

Here is a video from the Des Moines Register that to me feels very uncomfortable. Although the story with the video does not indicate it, it seems that the Register reporter was embedded with the ICE team on the raid. Somehow it feels as if this goes from reporting the news to being a part of the story. (3:30)

My first reaction was to wonder why there were no front office personnel being arrested? If they were not hiring undocumented workers or more likely checking the credentials of the workers hired to a much degree than is apparently being done today, perhaps there wouldn’t be even a chance of undocumented workers filtering in. 

Secondly what could be the difference between Iowa’s meat packing industry where many small towns have a packing house and that in Omaha. The immediate difference that springs to mind is simply the size of the city. Most of Iowa’s packing houses are in small towns. The state is almost completely governed by MAGAs from court house to governor’s mansion.

Omaha, however, is (according to wikipedia) the 55th largest metro area in the US. Also you may recall that in recent elections Omaha has garnered nationwide attention for a neighborhood in central Omaha called “the blue dot.” https://bluedotnebraska.com  The blue dot is a somewhat heavy Democratic area. Much of it is includes Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district.

As some may know, Nebraska’s 2nd district is represented by Don Bacon. Mr. Bacon has recently been one of the few MAGAs who has not toed the party line. He was one who had many questions about Trump’s big bad bill.

And for those who keep close tabs on elections, the city of Omaha itself recently had an election for mayor. The three term incumbent MAGA mayor, Jean Stothert, was turned out rather soundly in early May. Stothert had previously won her elections rather handily. Although the election was technically non-partisan, there was no doubt who represented which party. 

John Ewing, the treasurer of Douglas County, Nebraska, is set to become Omaha’s first Black mayor after his opponent conceded in Tuesday’s mayoral election — and Democrats are celebrating the upset as a sign of what they say is the latest in a string of election victories where they are “outperforming Republicans.”

<< snip >>

That includes victories or better-than-expected performances in some state legislative special elections, as well as the Democratic-supported candidate’s victory in the nonpartisan Wisconsin Supreme Court race in April.

“From coast to coast, from blue to purple to even red states, Democrats are overwhelmingly outperforming Republicans in nearly every election held this year,” Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in a statement late Tuesday.

So just shortly after Omaha flips to a Democratic mayor, ICE pulls a raid on a meat packing plant. Based on what happened in Los Angeles and information coming from the administration it certainly seems like the raid in Omaha was based much more on partisan politics rather than anything based on rational reason.

As we sit right now, no one nor any industry seems to be immune from Trump’s erratic behavior. Even more to the point Stephen Miller, Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem seem to be doing what they please and damn the consequences. Can Iowa survive without its immigrant workforce? We soon may be finding out.

Will Iowa’s congressional delegation do anything about the threat from the administration? I think we all know how collectively scared they are of Trump.

My observation is that Trump and his minions are at war with all immigrants or anyone who they deem resembles an immigrant. They are also at war with America’s cities and he is illegally using the power of his office to perpetrate those wars.

Tip of the hat to http://all-hat-no-cattle.blogspot.com