Dear Mr. Varas,
We are aware of concerns in our community about federal immigration and deportation policies, and the role of local law enforcement agencies.
Please be assured that Omaha police officers do not and will not seek out individuals to check their legal status. This is not the mission or duty of the Omaha Police Department. A department policy specifically says, “It is not within the jurisdiction of the OPD to determine whether an individual is an undocumented individual.”
You will not be asked about your legal status when you call 911 for emergency assistance. Whether you are the victim of a crime or a witness to a crime, you can be confident you can seek help from our police department without fear.
However, when any person commits a crime, he or she can be subject to the policies of federal agencies. In those instances, the Omaha Police Department will cooperate with our federal partners, only as outlined in our policies.
Public safety is our top priority. We value our relationships with all community members as we make Omaha a safe place to live.
Sincerely,

Jean Stothert, Mayor, City of Omaha and Todd Schmaderer Chief of Police
RESPONSE
The Latino Center of the Midlands commends and appreciates that Mayor Stothert and Chief Schmaderer reached out within a short period of President Donald Trump’s administration most recent announcements about immigration. We thank the City of Omaha for keeping the Latino and immigrant community informed.
In the letter, the Omaha Police Department expressed, with absolute certainty that they “do not and will not seek out individuals to check their legal status.” Furthermore, they explained that they do not ask for legal status when individuals call 911 and that everyone could and should continue to contact emergency services without hesitation if they are “the victim of or witness to a crime.”
The last part of the letter states that the Omaha Police Department will be cooperating with federal authorities if a person commits a crime, and that they will work with them “only as outlined in our policies.” Although we cannot and do not speak for everyone, the Latino Center of the Midlands feels that the letter is informative and encouraging. However, moving forward, the 2,500 clients that we work with annually would be best served by receiving more information and guidance on what the police department’s cooperation with federal authorities looks like, and to better understand examples of what constitutes a crime and what doesn’t. See the attached letter for full details about the Omaha Police Department’s position on President Trump’s latest immigration policies.
As a trusted community resource in the last 45 years, the Latino Center of the Midlands requested to meet with Mayor Stothert and Chief Schmaderer in order to discuss the concerns underlined above. We hope that this request will be met so that we may continue to keep all individuals and families, regardless of legal status, informed about changes in immigration policies.

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