Fourteen people were apprehended during a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement raid at a lumber and wood products manufacturing plant in Madison, leaving immigrant advocates scrambling to provide services for families who may be in need of assistance.
"Our advocates are on the ground, working to identify individuals in need of consultations and other immigration services," according to the Immigrant Legal Center, which supports detained immigrants in and outside of workplace raids.
"We are trying to determine what detention center(s) they are being taken to so we can go there," said Dawn Bashara, communications and development director for the organization.
"As soon as we know, we will send attorneys to offer legal consultations to see what options are available to help the detainees."
Immigrant Legal Center is an affiliate of the Justice for Our Neighbors Network in Omaha.Â
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"We're going to check to see if any kids need assistance," said Darcy Tromanhauser, immigrants and communities program director at Nebraska Appleseed.
Danielle Conrad, executive director of ACLU of Nebraska, said her organization is also reaching out for details.
Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer of Norfolk said he was informed of the raid in his legislative district by Lazaro Arturo Spindola, executive director of Nebraska's Latino American Commission, and will remain in touch.
Spindola said he also informed Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha, the Legislature's sole Latino member, and Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln.
Madison High School has served as a gathering site for families seeking information, he said.Â
The detained individuals were removed following reported helicopter surveillance over the D & D Industries plant, which describes itself as a pallet supplier and employs an estimated 30 people.