Protesters rally against immigration raids outside of College World Series in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. (KLKN) — A crowd of protesters grew outside of the College World Series in Omaha on Friday.

“Our hearts are broken for hardworking people who want a better life,” said Rosa LaPuente-Gomez, one of the protest organizers.

Organizers said the timing and location was intentional. They wanted visibility as Omaha filled with baseball fans.

“What makes it personal to me is these are my friends,” said one of the organizers, Kay Wags. “I have friends whose families have been torn apart. As a privileged woman, I cannot imagine going to work and my daughter coming home and not having me there.”

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The protest is in response to a series of recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, including a raid in Omaha.

“Never undervalue them,” said LaPuente-Gomez, who immigrated to the country legally. “They came here for a better life, a better family.”

She said not everyone is as lucky as her because it is very difficult to immigrate to the United States legally.

“Unless you’re marrying someone, unless you have $500,000 to invest, unless you have a special talent, there’s really no way to come here,” she said.

The protest remained peaceful, despite a brief argument between some demonstrators and some fans.

The protesters said the message is serious: They want to stop the raids, and they are calling for compassion.