Federal immigration authorities conducted a major raid at Glenn Valley Foods, a meat processing plant in Omaha, Nebraska, detaining dozens of workers and triggering protests from residents. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials executed what they described as a criminal investigation targeting unauthorized employment of aliens. How does the use of the federal E-Verify system play a role in checking employee immigration status?
Federal Raid Targets Meat Processing Workers
Federal immigration authorities executed a large-scale raid at Glenn Valley Foods, a meat production facility in Omaha, Nebraska, leading to the detention of dozens of workers. The operation, carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), involved agents arriving with a list of 97 individuals to screen for proper documentation, resulting in approximately 70 workers being taken into custody.
Local law enforcement, including the Omaha Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, were informed in advance and assisted with traffic control during the operation. ICE officials stated the raid was part of a criminal investigation into “the large-scale employment of aliens without authorization to work in the United States,” marking the largest worksite enforcement action in Nebraska during President Trump’s second term.
Gary Rohwer, owner and CEO of Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha, Nebraska talked to reporters about the ICE operations happening inside his business.
Listen very carefully to what he says about the E-Verify system. He also said that many of his employees had FAKE ID. Which is also… pic.twitter.com/7KD5HKU0o6
— hernando arce (@hernandoarce) June 10, 2025
Community Response and Protests
The raid sparked immediate protests in South Omaha, with residents gathering to voice opposition to the enforcement action. Some demonstrators attempted to block officers and federal vehicles, with reports of individuals throwing rocks at vehicles transporting detained workers.
Omaha City Councilmember Ron Hug criticized the raids, stating, “These actions are deeply harmful to the South Omaha community. Not only are they unjust and disruptive, but they also directly undermine the economic stability and growth of District 4 and the broader community.”
Gary Rohwer, owner and CEO of Glenn Valley Foods, a processed beef and chicken packaging plant in Omaha, NE was caught cheating Americans by paying illegal aliens cheap wages to make himself filthy rich! Scumbag gets what he deserves and all these illegals had an opportunity to… pic.twitter.com/a12Q5VrgBL
— Beard Vet (@Beard_Vet) June 10, 2025
Company Response and Verification Concerns
Glenn Valley Foods President Chad Hartmann expressed frustration that the company was targeted despite using the federal E-Verify system to check employee immigration status. When asked if the company had been notified of the raid in advance, company attorney Gary Rohwer responded bluntly, “Of course not. It’s a raid.”
Hartmann questioned the effectiveness of government verification systems, asking, “This is your system, run by the government. And you’re raiding me because your system is broken?”
The meatpacking industry has historically relied heavily on immigrant labor, but has not been a primary focus of immigration enforcement until recently. Rep. Don Bacon acknowledged the company’s compliance with E-Verify procedures and has provided resources for those with questions or concerns about the raid.
Douglas County Commissioner Roger Garcia departed from an official meeting upon learning of the raids, stating, “I have to depart. My community is being terrorized by immigration raids at this moment. As we speak, there’s word of at least two raids happening at this moment, so I have to go. I have to try and help.”
The ACLU of Nebraska warned of lasting damage from the raids and emphasized the rights of all individuals, regardless of immigration status. Community advocate Sara Kearney from Omaha Together, One Community, stated, “What we know from our organizing work over the last three years is that Nebraskans want to support immigration reform, positive immigration reform. We want to support immigrant and refugee families.”