News
Former Nebraska lawmaker Tony Vargas launches bid for Douglas County treasurer
By Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner Omaha, NE — Tony Vargas, a former candidate for Congress and elected officeholder for more than a decade, has confirmed he is running for Douglas County treasurer in the 2026 election. The former Nebraska state senator for South...
Protesters gather outside Governor’s Mansion to oppose Nebraska ICE jail
Gov. Jim Pillen says new ICE facility in McCook is ‘ready to roll’ By Juan Salinas II, Nebraska Examiner Lincoln, NE — The Nebraska Governor’s Mansion was a bit busier than usual on Friday. Roughly 150 protesters gathered outside the mansion Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen...
What’s in a name? Fed moniker for Nebraska immigration jail draws ire and defense
By Cindy Gonzalez and Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner Omaha, NE — Nebraska immigrant advocates and elected officials are among those criticizing the state’s decision to host a federal detention center for migrants — and the flippant nickname the Trump administration...
Nebraska’s ICE facility ‘symbolic’ of state’s support for immigration enforcement push
Detention center and memes highlighting it are part of a broader White House effort to persuade migrants to leave By Juan Salinas II, Nebraska Examiner Lincoln, NE — The media spectacle of Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen unveiling plans for a new Immigration and Customs...
Police records reveal man who sparked investigation into Kansas official’s immigration status
By Sherman Smith, Nebraska Examiner Lenexa, KS — A 74-year-old certified public accountant’s misunderstanding and subsequent call to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation sparked a police inquiry into a Lenexa City Council member’s citizenship, public records show,...
What to know about Nebraska-ICE plan to retool McCook Work Ethic Camp
State senators reflect on plan to retool rehabilitative-focused facility into immigration detention center, impacts on prison system By Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner Lincoln, NE — State lawmakers are “learning on the go” about Nebraska’s plan to transform its...