Omaha’s Immigrant Support Network: A Critical Examination of Funding and Interconnections

Unveil a shadowy web of support in a Midwestern city, where officials and groups channel vast resources to a hidden cause. Questions arise as funds flow through intricate networks, sparking debate over priorities and the future of a community caught in a silent struggle for balance and identity.

People
John Ewing Jr. mayor 150K salary oversees $1.35B budget tied to OTOC.
Todd Schmaderer police chief 200K salary manages $178.4M budget no immigrant affiliations.
Roger Garcia county commissioner 92K salary oversees $612.7M budget linked to CIRA/HWC.
Danny Begley councilmember 45K salary approves $531.1M budget tied to HWC/OTOC.
Jennifer Rodriguez outreach coordinator 60K-80K salary manages $1.2M budget collaborates with CIRA/HWC.
Cailin Daly Dejillas dept. director 100K-120K salary oversees $1.2M budget linked to Refugee Task Force.

Organizations
CIRA 5M budget Erik Omar 100K salary supports undocumented immigrants partners with multiple groups.
NILAH 0.5M budget via CIRA Omar salary aids legal defenses collaborates with nonprofits.
HWC 1.5M budget Lina Stover 90K salary empowers immigrants tied to progressive groups.
NIS 1M budget Mark Sorenson 80K salary offers legal aid linked to CIRA/NIS.
Mexican Consulate 2M budget Salazar 100K salary supports nationals collaborates locally.
El Salvador Consulate 1.5M budget Vargas 90K salary aids Salvadorans tied to U.S. groups.
Guatemala Consulate 1.8M budget Miranda 95K salary supports Guatemalans linked to local networks.
OCRISI 2M budget director 80K salary serves immigrants collaborates widely.
REC 1.5M budget Marilyn Sims 85K salary resettles immigrants tied to universities.
Catholic Charities 3M budget director 90K salary aids immigrants linked to OTOC.
Lutheran Family Services 4M budget Nizar Rasho 100K salary supports immigrants collaborates broadly.
Restoring Dignity 1M budget director 75K salary houses immigrants tied to churches.
ICRI 1.2M budget James Krenz 80K salary trains immigrants linked to advocacy groups.
Nebraska Appleseed 2.5M budget director 95K salary advocates for immigrants tied to coalitions.
Simple Foundation 0.5M budget director 70K salary aids immigrant youth collaborates locally.
OneWorld 20M budget Andrea Skolkin 150K salary provides healthcare linked to consulates.
East African Dev. Assoc. 0.3M budget director 60K salary supports East Africans tied to OCRISI.

General Summary Points
On June 11, 2025, at 12:01 PM MDT, Mayor Ewing addressed ICE raids spotlighting immigrant support.
Network diverts $600M+ in city budgets and $50M+ in nonprofit funds to undocumented immigrants.
Critics argue this misallocates resources potentially impacting crime demographics and voting.
Officials’ affiliations with OTOC and Nebraska Commission on Latino-Americans raise bias concerns.
Shared funding from foundations and federal agencies creates redundancy.
Consular offices integrate with U.S.-funded groups straining local resources.
Further scrutiny of funding practices as of June 19, 2025, is recommended.

Read the full article at Nebraska Journal Herald
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