Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Pleasure to welcome Momaha Mayor John Ewing, the program first
chat with the mayor since the election. John, Good morning, Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Good morning, Gary, Good morning, Jim.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Good to have you here. We were interested in your
view on the ICE arrests here in Omaha last week
and the revelation that the primary target was wanted for
five murders L Salvador and MS thirteen Kingpin as he
was described right here living among us. What was your
(00:33):
view of that operation?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Sure? Well, first of all, I think it's important to
give credit to the Douglas County sheriff deputy who saw
the MS thirteen information and then contacted the state Patrol
and Ice who actually then made the arrest to keep
excuse me, remove violent criminals from our community. That's what
(01:00):
I've said all along is I believe we should be
always looking to keep the people of Omaha safe and
remove violent offenders from our community.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Do you have a policy relative to the City of
Omaha and the Owaha Police Department regarding people like that
who may be living in our mets. I know that
the official policy is that we're not going around asking
people for their for their citizenship status and so on.
But you've got to be concerned. I would think as
(01:31):
mayor that there's more than one of these guys around Omaha.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Oh sure, obviously, and that's why we have gained units
and intelligence units to try and be able to find
those individuals and cooperate with other law enforcement agencies as
well to make sure we keep the people of Omaha safe.
And our police department has done a great job in
my opinion, of helping to find those individuals as else
(02:00):
in the past, and they will continue to do that
in the future.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Visiting with John Ewing, Mayor of Omaha, John, it's critically important,
I think, to the confidence that the people have in
your administration that this becomes a high priority. This guy
did not arrive in Omaha on your watch by any
means previous mayor's administration. Does this heighten your concern and
does this change any of your priorities relative to finding
(02:27):
these people? I mean, clearly, if you'd known that he
was here and you were mayor when he arrived, you
would have managed to get him locked up when he
was here. How do you find out whether these people
are here?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Well, I think that's why you have to have cooperative
relationships with other law enforcement agencies. And then, as I mentioned,
I believe our game unit does a great job with
the gain people in our community of finding out who
is actually involved in violent crimes. That's why we have
such a low crime rate here and that's why we're
(03:02):
able to reduce some of the issues that you see
in other major cities. So I believe we're doing a
great job with that. In any time we have these
opportunities to remove people from our community, I think we
have to do everything we can as a law enforcement agency,
as well as cooperating with the other agencies that are
(03:24):
engaged with finding these finding criminals as well.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I'm interested in John in Europe in your overall viewed,
not just with these MS thirteen types. But I go
back to I believe it was the night of the
election when you were on the MSNBC and said we're
not afraid of Donald Trump. They were talking about immigration.
We had a pretty large operation over there at Glenn
(03:48):
Valley Foods a month or so ago. We've had isolated
other incidents here, most recently the Fernando's restaurant subpoena from
Homeland Security. We have heartburn about what's happening here in
our city relative to folks who may be here illegally.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Why have heartburned? Because I believe when we look at
some of the individuals who are non violent people working
in our community, I believe we should have a comprehensive
immigration policy at the federal level that gives those people
an opportunity to be able to work legitimately in our community.
(04:28):
I certainly don't condone people taking and having false identification
or stilling people's identity or social security numbers. That's why
I believe it's important that Congress do their job in
that area so that people can work and contribute to
our community.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Has this changed your overall attitude about ICE and cooperation
with ICE? Given the depth of this guy's criminal behavior?
I mean, rank and file illegal immigrants in Omaha one thing,
But a guy with a record like that who was
clearly a threat to society? Has this changed your overall
(05:06):
approach to cooperating with ICE.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
No, because we've always cooperated with ICE, going all the
way back to when I was on the Omaha Police Department.
So I don't have a problem whatsoever with ICE doing
their job and helping to remove violent criminals from our community.
That's never been an issue for me in my forty
three and a half years of public service, So I've
(05:31):
never been critical of ICE as much as I've been
critical of the policy that doesn't create a comprehensive immigration plan.
So nothing's changed for me. I'm thankful that they are
doing their job and removing violent offenders, and the Omaha
Police Department will continue to cooperate with them as well.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
What form mayor before we run here? What form would
that take? In the following example, say that that ICE
contacts Chief Smater, the Omaha Police Department says, we are
watching a couple of people here that we're pretty convinced
are bad dudes. We would like your help with advanced
(06:18):
surveillance until we nail this down. Is that anything that
you would have a problem with or that the police
Department would have a problem with.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Absolutely not. We would be one hundred percent cooperative in
those instances because that is a matter of public safety,
and that has been our policy as long as I
can remember, going all the way back. Like I said
to my time with the Omaha Police Department, violent criminals
are not welcoming Omaha, Nebraska, regardless of their immigration status.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Well, that's good to know how has it been. That's
been what a month or two now.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Been about thirty four days.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
I believe been any big surprises h Aig accounting today
being mayor that you wouldn't have expected.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
No, I think the biggest thing that surprised me, quite honestly,
Gary has been all of the excitement. And the reason
I know it's about thirty four days is because I
knew I started on June ninth. But I just believe
that it's critically important that we come together as a
community well recognize that we are one community. And my
(07:30):
goal is to unify the city of Omaha so that
we can do great things because I believe the city
that is unified has a great opportunity in this current
economy to be able to do great things for all
the people of the community when it comes to growing
our community, recruiting companies and individuals here, and making this
(07:52):
a great place to live.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Hey man, thanks Mayor. I appreciate the time this morning,
and we'll do.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
It okay, thank you, and have a great day guy,
you too.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
That's somehow Mayor John Ewing
Pleasure to welcome Momaha Mayor John Ewing, the program first
chat with the mayor since the election. John, Good morning, Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Good morning, Gary, Good morning, Jim.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Good to have you here. We were interested in your
view on the ICE arrests here in Omaha last week
and the revelation that the primary target was wanted for
five murders L Salvador and MS thirteen Kingpin as he
was described right here living among us. What was your
(00:33):
view of that operation?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Sure? Well, first of all, I think it's important to
give credit to the Douglas County sheriff deputy who saw
the MS thirteen information and then contacted the state Patrol
and Ice who actually then made the arrest to keep
excuse me, remove violent criminals from our community. That's what
(01:00):
I've said all along is I believe we should be
always looking to keep the people of Omaha safe and
remove violent offenders from our community.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Do you have a policy relative to the City of
Omaha and the Owaha Police Department regarding people like that
who may be living in our mets. I know that
the official policy is that we're not going around asking
people for their for their citizenship status and so on.
But you've got to be concerned. I would think as
(01:31):
mayor that there's more than one of these guys around Omaha.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Oh sure, obviously, and that's why we have gained units
and intelligence units to try and be able to find
those individuals and cooperate with other law enforcement agencies as
well to make sure we keep the people of Omaha safe.
And our police department has done a great job in
my opinion, of helping to find those individuals as else
(02:00):
in the past, and they will continue to do that
in the future.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Visiting with John Ewing, Mayor of Omaha, John, it's critically important,
I think, to the confidence that the people have in
your administration that this becomes a high priority. This guy
did not arrive in Omaha on your watch by any
means previous mayor's administration. Does this heighten your concern and
does this change any of your priorities relative to finding
(02:27):
these people? I mean, clearly, if you'd known that he
was here and you were mayor when he arrived, you
would have managed to get him locked up when he
was here. How do you find out whether these people
are here?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Well, I think that's why you have to have cooperative
relationships with other law enforcement agencies. And then, as I mentioned,
I believe our game unit does a great job with
the gain people in our community of finding out who
is actually involved in violent crimes. That's why we have
such a low crime rate here and that's why we're
(03:02):
able to reduce some of the issues that you see
in other major cities. So I believe we're doing a
great job with that. In any time we have these
opportunities to remove people from our community, I think we
have to do everything we can as a law enforcement agency,
as well as cooperating with the other agencies that are
(03:24):
engaged with finding these finding criminals as well.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I'm interested in John in Europe in your overall viewed,
not just with these MS thirteen types. But I go
back to I believe it was the night of the
election when you were on the MSNBC and said we're
not afraid of Donald Trump. They were talking about immigration.
We had a pretty large operation over there at Glenn
(03:48):
Valley Foods a month or so ago. We've had isolated
other incidents here, most recently the Fernando's restaurant subpoena from
Homeland Security. We have heartburn about what's happening here in
our city relative to folks who may be here illegally.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Why have heartburned? Because I believe when we look at
some of the individuals who are non violent people working
in our community, I believe we should have a comprehensive
immigration policy at the federal level that gives those people
an opportunity to be able to work legitimately in our community.
(04:28):
I certainly don't condone people taking and having false identification
or stilling people's identity or social security numbers. That's why
I believe it's important that Congress do their job in
that area so that people can work and contribute to
our community.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Has this changed your overall attitude about ICE and cooperation
with ICE? Given the depth of this guy's criminal behavior?
I mean, rank and file illegal immigrants in Omaha one thing,
But a guy with a record like that who was
clearly a threat to society? Has this changed your overall
(05:06):
approach to cooperating with ICE.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
No, because we've always cooperated with ICE, going all the
way back to when I was on the Omaha Police Department.
So I don't have a problem whatsoever with ICE doing
their job and helping to remove violent criminals from our community.
That's never been an issue for me in my forty
three and a half years of public service, So I've
(05:31):
never been critical of ICE as much as I've been
critical of the policy that doesn't create a comprehensive immigration plan.
So nothing's changed for me. I'm thankful that they are
doing their job and removing violent offenders, and the Omaha
Police Department will continue to cooperate with them as well.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
What form mayor before we run here? What form would
that take? In the following example, say that that ICE
contacts Chief Smater, the Omaha Police Department says, we are
watching a couple of people here that we're pretty convinced
are bad dudes. We would like your help with advanced
(06:18):
surveillance until we nail this down. Is that anything that
you would have a problem with or that the police
Department would have a problem with.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Absolutely not. We would be one hundred percent cooperative in
those instances because that is a matter of public safety,
and that has been our policy as long as I
can remember, going all the way back. Like I said
to my time with the Omaha Police Department, violent criminals
are not welcoming Omaha, Nebraska, regardless of their immigration status.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Well, that's good to know how has it been. That's
been what a month or two now.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Been about thirty four days.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
I believe been any big surprises h Aig accounting today
being mayor that you wouldn't have expected.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
No, I think the biggest thing that surprised me, quite honestly,
Gary has been all of the excitement. And the reason
I know it's about thirty four days is because I
knew I started on June ninth. But I just believe
that it's critically important that we come together as a
community well recognize that we are one community. And my
(07:30):
goal is to unify the city of Omaha so that
we can do great things because I believe the city
that is unified has a great opportunity in this current
economy to be able to do great things for all
the people of the community when it comes to growing
our community, recruiting companies and individuals here, and making this
(07:52):
a great place to live.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Hey man, thanks Mayor. I appreciate the time this morning,
and we'll do.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
It okay, thank you, and have a great day guy,
you too.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
That's somehow Mayor John Ewing
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