On eve of layoffs, 140 immigration workers in Lincoln demand severance pay

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – On Friday, 140 immigration workers in Lincoln will be laid off.

On Thursday, ITC Federal employees gathered outside of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building in Lincoln to protest.

“To add salt to the wound, our employer is refusing to give those laid off any kind of severance package,” said Jackson Thomas, treasurer of UE Local 808.

SEE ALSO: Lincoln immigration workers protest layoffs; local staff will be cut in half, union says

ITC Federal holds a contract with USCIS, meaning the workers are not technically federal employees.

The employees knew the layoffs were coming after they saw hundreds lose their jobs at the California branch before it closed down for good.

They’ve been protesting for months to keep their jobs, but with hope dwindling, they’ve switched their message.

“If we’re going to get laid off, which it seems we cannot prevent, we deserve severance pay,” said Dawn Meyer, an employee of 29 years.

ITC Federal said its layoffs will continue until Nov. 30.