Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We welcome to Omaha Mayor Jean Stouth back to the program.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Mayor, good morning, good morning, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
This has become a huge issue across the country now
with the new Trump administration coming in and his borders.
Are Tom Homan getting very serious about finding people who
are here illegally and deporting them. Particularly, they're going to
start with criminal illegals, and we see these blue state
(00:25):
governors and blue state blue city mayors bowing to not
only not cooperate, but to push back. We talked earlier
in the week, Mayor about your policy with regard to
the Omaha Police Department and the letter that you and
Chief Schmaters signed that you're not going around looking for illegals,
but if there's a crime committee, you will ask about
(00:47):
their status. I wanted to flesh this out a little bit.
Sure when this administration takes over and you receive communication
from them about illegal I presume that there will be
no hesitancy or pushback on providing what information they need.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Right correct. And you know, one thing that we need
to re emphasize is that immigration is a federal issue.
But what I said is we will follow the law.
Now I have to give a little background to this,
because I'm just completing seven town hall meetings so that
I do every fall. I just completed my seventieth town
hall meeting, matter of fact, on Monday night, that I've
(01:30):
done since I've been mayor. A week ago. A very
liberal activist that attends a lot of city council meetings, who,
by the way, is campaigning for John Ewing, came to
one of my council meetings and one of my town
hall meetings and he asked me the question. He said,
are you going to follow the Trump syndicate deportation order?
(01:50):
And I said, I'm not answering that because there is
no such thing at this there's no such thing. And
then he said, do you support separating families? And I said,
you know, it's unfortunate, but there are Americans when they
violate the law that are separated from their families, when
they go to jail and when they go to prison.
I said, we have one thousand people right now down
(02:12):
in Douglas County Corrections that are separated from their family.
So when you break the law, you might be separated.
So he put out on social media. Mayristout there supports
separating family so on Monday night, I had another town
hall meeting. He was there again. He invited the media
because he said he was going to really nail me
down on these policies, and somebody else asked the question
(02:33):
before he did, and what I explained is what you
just basically said. We will follow the law. There's no
doubt about that, but we're aware of there's a lot
of concerns in our community about federal immigration. And what
I told them is that the Omaha Police Department does
not seek out individuals to check their legal status because
it's not the mission or the duty of the Omaha
(02:55):
Police Department. And we have a policy that specifically says
it's not within the jurisdiction and that's important of the
Omaha Police Department to determine whether an individual is undocumented
or not. And we also wanted to tell people that
they would not be asked about their legal status if
they call nine to one one, because we don't want
(03:16):
a victim of a crime or a witness to a
crime to hesitate reporting it because they're afraid we're going
to check their legal status. Now, having said that, we
don't know what the federal government is going to do.
It's under their jurisdiction and we don't know, so it's
difficult for me or Tod Schmutter to answer any hypothetical situations.
(03:37):
But we will follow the law. Is our priority, and
we value our relationship with all our community members and
we want to make Omaha a safe place. But we
will follow the law. But it's hard for me or
Tod Schmutter to say, answer a hypothetical situation of what's
going to happen when we don't Okay, so.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
How does it work? All right?
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Does your office or does Tod Schmater's office or does
are An Anson's office get a phone call from ICE
at eight o'clock in the morning saying, Hey, there are
fifteen illegals working over here, just so you know, we're
going to go get them. Do then you help them?
Are you involved? You just stay out of the way.
How does the process work?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
And in those instances, the Omaha Police to Market Department
will cooperate with our federal partners, but only as outlined
in our policy. So you know, we have worked with ICE,
We have detained people because of ICE's orders, and we
have deported in cooperation with ICE, but it's not within
(04:35):
our jurisdiction to deport, and so that's what we are saying.
We were saying we will work in cooperation, but the
mission of the Omaha Police Department is to not be
out seeking individuals going knocking door to door asking proof
of their legal status. That's not what they do and
that's not what they will do. But we will work
in cooperation with the federal government as we do.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Now what level of crime with an individual in Omaha
UH needed to commit mayor for their immigration status to
be questioned.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
I think I think it's it's any any crime that
the Omaha Police Department is arresting somebody for. I mean,
we've had several crimes recently involving illegals and you know
that came out on the news and that legal status
was was checked. I don't know, and I can't say
what what level of crime they commit that they would
(05:29):
check their legal status. But you know, any anything that's
breaking the law is an opportunity for the Omaha Police
Department to investigate that. And as they investigated, their legal
status would be checked.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Well, would you then turn them over to Ice found
out that this guy who committed a crime, or this
guy who committed a crime isn't illegal, would you then
give the information to the federal agency.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And that's what we do now, That's what we have
been doing. That's so that I mean again, we cooperate
with our federal partners. Is outlined in our policy. And
when somebody commits a crime, he or she will be
subject to the policies of the federal agencies. And so
whatever the federal government decides, those people will be subject
(06:16):
to those policies and we will work in cooperation with
ICE and the federal government. But that's what we do now.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
It's discouraging. I shouldn't be surprised because politics, say, is
what it is. But it's discouraging that one of your
competitors in the race from mayor would pander on this
issue given what you've said, Yes, there really is. I mean,
I just hate that.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Let's just say why it's important for me to say that,
because he put out all over social media. Mayor Standard
says she supports separating families. Well, of course I don't. However,
it happens, and it happens to Americans, and it happens
to legal citizens, and it happens all the time. Like
I said, we have a thousand people down in Douglas
(06:58):
County corrections that are separated from their family. No, I
don't like seeing people do that. But if you don't
want to be separated, don't commit a crime.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Do you have any idea how many illegals are in
Douglas County right now?
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I do not.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I absolutely I think the astima for the state is
about forty some thousand. But I don't know if that's.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
A light or I would I hate to give an
estimate when I really don't know, So I don't know.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Marithanks, would you like to know?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
You know, I think it would be interesting to know.
I don't know how it would help us or help
the Omaha Police Department, because again they number one. They're
short staff now anyway, because we still continue to be
at least about one hundred officers down, and we still
are increasing our recruiting, but they're stress really thin right now.
(07:48):
But for people to think that they're not going to
do their job, that is wrong. But they are not
going door to door. I mean that that is just
not the duty or the mission of the Omaha Police Department.
You know, I have to say this over and over.
We will work in cooperation with federal agents. But immigration
is a federal issue and we already do and like
(08:08):
I said, we deport, we detain that. You know the
history of our federal partners in Ice, if they have
been so incredibly slow, no.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Doubt that's all been slow rolled with this president. Mayor.
Thanks Mary Jeans South here on kfab's morning News
We welcome to Omaha Mayor Jean Stouth back to the program.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Mayor, good morning, good morning, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
This has become a huge issue across the country now
with the new Trump administration coming in and his borders.
Are Tom Homan getting very serious about finding people who
are here illegally and deporting them. Particularly, they're going to
start with criminal illegals, and we see these blue state
(00:25):
governors and blue state blue city mayors bowing to not
only not cooperate, but to push back. We talked earlier
in the week, Mayor about your policy with regard to
the Omaha Police Department and the letter that you and
Chief Schmaters signed that you're not going around looking for illegals,
but if there's a crime committee, you will ask about
(00:47):
their status. I wanted to flesh this out a little bit.
Sure when this administration takes over and you receive communication
from them about illegal I presume that there will be
no hesitancy or pushback on providing what information they need.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Right correct. And you know, one thing that we need
to re emphasize is that immigration is a federal issue.
But what I said is we will follow the law.
Now I have to give a little background to this,
because I'm just completing seven town hall meetings so that
I do every fall. I just completed my seventieth town
hall meeting, matter of fact, on Monday night, that I've
(01:30):
done since I've been mayor. A week ago. A very
liberal activist that attends a lot of city council meetings, who,
by the way, is campaigning for John Ewing, came to
one of my council meetings and one of my town
hall meetings and he asked me the question. He said,
are you going to follow the Trump syndicate deportation order?
(01:50):
And I said, I'm not answering that because there is
no such thing at this there's no such thing. And
then he said, do you support separating families? And I said,
you know, it's unfortunate, but there are Americans when they
violate the law that are separated from their families, when
they go to jail and when they go to prison.
I said, we have one thousand people right now down
(02:12):
in Douglas County Corrections that are separated from their family.
So when you break the law, you might be separated.
So he put out on social media. Mayristout there supports
separating family so on Monday night, I had another town
hall meeting. He was there again. He invited the media
because he said he was going to really nail me
down on these policies, and somebody else asked the question
(02:33):
before he did, and what I explained is what you
just basically said. We will follow the law. There's no
doubt about that, but we're aware of there's a lot
of concerns in our community about federal immigration. And what
I told them is that the Omaha Police Department does
not seek out individuals to check their legal status because
it's not the mission or the duty of the Omaha
(02:55):
Police Department. And we have a policy that specifically says
it's not within the jurisdiction and that's important of the
Omaha Police Department to determine whether an individual is undocumented
or not. And we also wanted to tell people that
they would not be asked about their legal status if
they call nine to one one, because we don't want
(03:16):
a victim of a crime or a witness to a
crime to hesitate reporting it because they're afraid we're going
to check their legal status. Now, having said that, we
don't know what the federal government is going to do.
It's under their jurisdiction and we don't know, so it's
difficult for me or Tod Schmutter to answer any hypothetical situations.
(03:37):
But we will follow the law. Is our priority, and
we value our relationship with all our community members and
we want to make Omaha a safe place. But we
will follow the law. But it's hard for me or
Tod Schmutter to say, answer a hypothetical situation of what's
going to happen when we don't Okay, so.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
How does it work? All right?
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Does your office or does Tod Schmater's office or does
are An Anson's office get a phone call from ICE
at eight o'clock in the morning saying, Hey, there are
fifteen illegals working over here, just so you know, we're
going to go get them. Do then you help them?
Are you involved? You just stay out of the way.
How does the process work?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
And in those instances, the Omaha Police to Market Department
will cooperate with our federal partners, but only as outlined
in our policy. So you know, we have worked with ICE,
We have detained people because of ICE's orders, and we
have deported in cooperation with ICE, but it's not within
(04:35):
our jurisdiction to deport, and so that's what we are saying.
We were saying we will work in cooperation, but the
mission of the Omaha Police Department is to not be
out seeking individuals going knocking door to door asking proof
of their legal status. That's not what they do and
that's not what they will do. But we will work
in cooperation with the federal government as we do.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Now what level of crime with an individual in Omaha
UH needed to commit mayor for their immigration status to
be questioned.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
I think I think it's it's any any crime that
the Omaha Police Department is arresting somebody for. I mean,
we've had several crimes recently involving illegals and you know
that came out on the news and that legal status
was was checked. I don't know, and I can't say
what what level of crime they commit that they would
(05:29):
check their legal status. But you know, any anything that's
breaking the law is an opportunity for the Omaha Police
Department to investigate that. And as they investigated, their legal
status would be checked.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Well, would you then turn them over to Ice found
out that this guy who committed a crime, or this
guy who committed a crime isn't illegal, would you then
give the information to the federal agency.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And that's what we do now, That's what we have
been doing. That's so that I mean again, we cooperate
with our federal partners. Is outlined in our policy. And
when somebody commits a crime, he or she will be
subject to the policies of the federal agencies. And so
whatever the federal government decides, those people will be subject
(06:16):
to those policies and we will work in cooperation with
ICE and the federal government. But that's what we do now.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
It's discouraging. I shouldn't be surprised because politics, say, is
what it is. But it's discouraging that one of your
competitors in the race from mayor would pander on this
issue given what you've said, Yes, there really is. I mean,
I just hate that.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Let's just say why it's important for me to say that,
because he put out all over social media. Mayor Standard
says she supports separating families. Well, of course I don't. However,
it happens, and it happens to Americans, and it happens
to legal citizens, and it happens all the time. Like
I said, we have a thousand people down in Douglas
(06:58):
County corrections that are separated from their family. No, I
don't like seeing people do that. But if you don't
want to be separated, don't commit a crime.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Do you have any idea how many illegals are in
Douglas County right now?
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I do not.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I absolutely I think the astima for the state is
about forty some thousand. But I don't know if that's.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
A light or I would I hate to give an
estimate when I really don't know, So I don't know.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Marithanks, would you like to know?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
You know, I think it would be interesting to know.
I don't know how it would help us or help
the Omaha Police Department, because again they number one. They're
short staff now anyway, because we still continue to be
at least about one hundred officers down, and we still
are increasing our recruiting, but they're stress really thin right now.
(07:48):
But for people to think that they're not going to
do their job, that is wrong. But they are not
going door to door. I mean that that is just
not the duty or the mission of the Omaha Police Department.
You know, I have to say this over and over.
We will work in cooperation with federal agents. But immigration
is a federal issue and we already do and like
(08:08):
I said, we deport, we detain that. You know the
history of our federal partners in Ice, if they have
been so incredibly slow, no.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Doubt that's all been slow rolled with this president. Mayor.
Thanks Mary Jeans South here on kfab's morning News
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