ACLU of Nebraska demands answers to 2018 immigration raid

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — In the fourth-year anniversary of the O’Neill immigration raids, the ACLU of Nebraska is suing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the DHS Office of Inspector General.  

The ACLU of Nebraska is requesting a judicial order for the release of records related to the Homeland Security’s investigation of ICE agents potentially violating the rights of more than 100 immigrants who were detained in 2018.

“I hope it provides answers,” ACLU Immigration Legal Fellow Jane Seu said.  “I hope they know that we are holding the government accountable.”

Nebraska ACLU and other human rights organizations criticized the raids in O’Neill for glaring failures to provide detainees with adequate food, water, shelter and language interpretation services. 

 “No interpreters were provided,” Seu said. “Many of these types of civil rights violations we know occurred from community members and those who provided rapid response to the raids.” 

The ACLU says they cannot have a full picture of what happened if the DHS does not release the investigation results.   

The organization filed a public records request in 2020, but they say it was ignored. 

The ACLU is waiting for Homeland Security to respond to the lawsuit in the coming days.