Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen activates National Guard ahead of statewide immigration protests
Pillen formally declared a state of emergency to activate the Guard so it can assist local law enforcement should any demonstrations escalate. (Courtesy of the Governor's Office)
LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen has activated the Nebraska National Guard ahead of scheduled protests this weekend.
Late Friday, the governor issued an emergency proclamation that activated the Guard and prepared Guard and state law enforcement resources for immediate deployment if needed, a governor's spokeswoman confirmed.
Typical National Guard activation can take up to 24 hours, but the proclamation shortens that time.
Nebraska has seen several protests in recent days over a federal immigration raid that hit an Omaha food plant, in what immigration officials said was the largest Nebraska enforcement operation since President Donald Trump took office.
Most of the protests have been peaceful – though federal officials arrested four protesters from the original raid site, Glenn Valley Foods, alleging 'aggressive' behavior and damage to federal property.
Pillen and Nebraska joined other states with conservative governors, such as Texas and Missouri, that have activated their National Guard in advance of planned protests. Texas has deployed 5,000 Guard members.
Pillen formally declared a state of emergency to activate the Guard so it can assist local law enforcement should any demonstrations escalate.
'Free speech will be respected and protected in Nebraska,' Pillen said. 'But the lawlessness, chaos, and rioting seen in other cities in past weeks will not be tolerated here.'
Pillen said he took the steps to boost 'security and order' for the visitors of the College World Series in Omaha, the NCAA's baseball championships, and across the state.
'Any person who poses a threat to life, health, or property will be arrested,' Pillen wrote in his emergency proclamation.
State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha, in a post on Facebook, called the Governor's emergency declaration an 'extreme overreach' and an attempt to silence dissent.'
'This is not leadership,' Spivey said. 'It's fear-mongering.'
The heartland protests come against the backdrop of larger, tenser protests in Los Angeles as a result of ICE raids there over the past week.
The Trump administration and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have been butting heads as Trump federalized and then deployed 4,000 members of the California National Guard and 700 Marines to the second-largest U.S. city in response to protests without the permission from the Democratic governor.
Newsom responded by accusing Trump of choosing 'theatrics over public safety' and escalating the 'chaos.' The California Governor sued the Trump Administration over the deployment of the state National Guard.
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers this week joined 18 other Republican attorneys general in a brief in support of Trump's deployment of National Guard, arguing that Trump has the 'authority' to do so.
'We stand with law enforcement, we support President Trump's action, and we will not let chaos take hold in our states,' Hilger said in a joint statement.
Los Angeles has sparked similar protests in Texas, New York City, Chicago, and other Democratic-leaning parts of the country. More protests are planned nationally against Trump this weekend, including in Nebraska, part of the 'No King' protests, as Trump plans a military parade to celebrate the Army's anniversary in Washington D.C, and Flag Day on Saturday, both of which overlap with his 79th birthday.
Organizers behind the nationwide 'No King' protests include Indivisible, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the 50501 Movement. Organizers have branded Saturday as a 'day of defiance' against what they call authoritarian overreach by the Trump administration.
There are 13 planned protests around Nebraska, including Lincoln, Omaha and Hastings.
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