Jasmine Garst

She does these long overnight trips transporting entire families trying to get out of Florida. And all of these people picking up and leaving, that's what Mari was referring to when she told me. They're going to turn this into a ghost town.

I found that it was happening throughout Florida. I found a widespread fear, particularly in agricultural areas. I spent a lot of time in central Florida in like a park called Plant City, where a lot of workers had just picked up and left north. And also in areas that have been hard hit by hurricanes, where there is a labor force like roofers and builders who just, again, picked up and left.

I found that it was happening throughout Florida. I found a widespread fear, particularly in agricultural areas. I spent a lot of time in central Florida in like a park called Plant City, where a lot of workers had just picked up and left north. And also in areas that have been hard hit by hurricanes, where there is a labor force like roofers and builders who just, again, picked up and left.

I found that it was happening throughout Florida. I found a widespread fear, particularly in agricultural areas. I spent a lot of time in central Florida in like a park called Plant City, where a lot of workers had just picked up and left north. And also in areas that have been hard hit by hurricanes, where there is a labor force like roofers and builders who just, again, picked up and left.

You know, I spent a lot of time in Springfield, Ohio, where the rising xenophobia and lies, just outright lies about Haitian immigrants spread. That was a preview of where we're at now. And that's gotten so much coverage. So I want to tell you a different story today about my trip to Nebraska in late December of last year. Now, Nebraska has a huge labor shortage.

You know, I spent a lot of time in Springfield, Ohio, where the rising xenophobia and lies, just outright lies about Haitian immigrants spread. That was a preview of where we're at now. And that's gotten so much coverage. So I want to tell you a different story today about my trip to Nebraska in late December of last year. Now, Nebraska has a huge labor shortage.

You know, I spent a lot of time in Springfield, Ohio, where the rising xenophobia and lies, just outright lies about Haitian immigrants spread. That was a preview of where we're at now. And that's gotten so much coverage. So I want to tell you a different story today about my trip to Nebraska in late December of last year. Now, Nebraska has a huge labor shortage.

I mean, look, we know there's a labor shortage across the U.S., but Nebraska has one of the worst in the country. And they're also one of the top beef producers in the nation. And for these reasons, Nebraska business leaders and the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce have for years had this goal of becoming the most welcoming place in the country for immigrants.

I mean, look, we know there's a labor shortage across the U.S., but Nebraska has one of the worst in the country. And they're also one of the top beef producers in the nation. And for these reasons, Nebraska business leaders and the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce have for years had this goal of becoming the most welcoming place in the country for immigrants.

I mean, look, we know there's a labor shortage across the U.S., but Nebraska has one of the worst in the country. And they're also one of the top beef producers in the nation. And for these reasons, Nebraska business leaders and the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce have for years had this goal of becoming the most welcoming place in the country for immigrants.

Nonetheless, the state overwhelmingly voted for Trump. So when I was in Nebraska, I talked to people who voted for Trump and who told me they believed in no uncertain terms that he would only go after criminals, that he would not go after the everyday immigrant workforce. And one of those people who told me that was a rancher I met. His name is Tim Thompson of North Platte.

Nonetheless, the state overwhelmingly voted for Trump. So when I was in Nebraska, I talked to people who voted for Trump and who told me they believed in no uncertain terms that he would only go after criminals, that he would not go after the everyday immigrant workforce. And one of those people who told me that was a rancher I met. His name is Tim Thompson of North Platte.

Nonetheless, the state overwhelmingly voted for Trump. So when I was in Nebraska, I talked to people who voted for Trump and who told me they believed in no uncertain terms that he would only go after criminals, that he would not go after the everyday immigrant workforce. And one of those people who told me that was a rancher I met. His name is Tim Thompson of North Platte.

He drove me around his property. It was dusk. It's a small property. There were a lot of deer. And as we sat there in his pickup truck watching the deer, I asked him about the workers and the beef plants. And rancher Tim told me he really appreciates them and that they're very hardworking people, to which I asked, Do you worry that they're going to get deported?

He drove me around his property. It was dusk. It's a small property. There were a lot of deer. And as we sat there in his pickup truck watching the deer, I asked him about the workers and the beef plants. And rancher Tim told me he really appreciates them and that they're very hardworking people, to which I asked, Do you worry that they're going to get deported?

He drove me around his property. It was dusk. It's a small property. There were a lot of deer. And as we sat there in his pickup truck watching the deer, I asked him about the workers and the beef plants. And rancher Tim told me he really appreciates them and that they're very hardworking people, to which I asked, Do you worry that they're going to get deported?

So, you know, it's interesting and it's worth noting that across the country, many immigrants who have become U.S. citizens appear to have shifted towards President Trump in 2024. I mean, Trump may have in fact won the immigrant vote or at least split it 50-50. But in Nebraska, you know, by many estimates, there's about 40,000 immigrants without legal status.

So, you know, it's interesting and it's worth noting that across the country, many immigrants who have become U.S. citizens appear to have shifted towards President Trump in 2024. I mean, Trump may have in fact won the immigrant vote or at least split it 50-50. But in Nebraska, you know, by many estimates, there's about 40,000 immigrants without legal status.

So, you know, it's interesting and it's worth noting that across the country, many immigrants who have become U.S. citizens appear to have shifted towards President Trump in 2024. I mean, Trump may have in fact won the immigrant vote or at least split it 50-50. But in Nebraska, you know, by many estimates, there's about 40,000 immigrants without legal status.

And it is common knowledge that many of them work in the meatpacking plants. And a lot of people I spoke to told me they were really afraid. I spent a lot of my time in Fremont, Nebraska. You know, let me paint a picture for you. Nebraska has so many of these meatpacking towns. You know, picture this. It's the Great Plains, right? So it's just really flat.