Jasmine Garst

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.

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.

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.

And the light, I've never seen light like that before. It's just eerie and stunning. And in that flatness, you see these factory towns with their billowing smokestacks. And you can see them on the horizon. Sometimes you can smell them, too, long before you get there. And so I got to Fremont, to this meatpacking city, and it was empty.

And the light, I've never seen light like that before. It's just eerie and stunning. And in that flatness, you see these factory towns with their billowing smokestacks. And you can see them on the horizon. Sometimes you can smell them, too, long before you get there. And so I got to Fremont, to this meatpacking city, and it was empty.

And the light, I've never seen light like that before. It's just eerie and stunning. And in that flatness, you see these factory towns with their billowing smokestacks. And you can see them on the horizon. Sometimes you can smell them, too, long before you get there. And so I got to Fremont, to this meatpacking city, and it was empty.

And I was kind of freaking out about that because, you know, I'm a reporter. I'm in town to talk to people and everyone is locked in their homes. So I ended up going to this bar downtown. It's called Reinita, Little Queen. Now, if you can imagine like this secret tropical bubble in the middle of this frozen industrial tundra, that's Reinita.