OMAHA, Neb. (NewsNation) — Federal agents detained dozens of people Tuesday during what officials called Nebraska’s largest workplace enforcement operation under President Donald Trump, executing a civil search warrant at Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha as workers scattered and hid throughout the facility.
NewsNation takes you in an exclusive multiagency operation involving about 70 officers and agents from ICE, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigations, the DEA and U.S. Marshals, targeting workers suspected of using fraudulent identification documents.
Out of the 107 who were targeted, 70 people were detained after ICE determined their status.
Many workers attempted to avoid arrest by hiding in building rafters and walk-in freezers with subzero temperatures, prompting EMTs to respond and check individuals for health and safety concerns, according to federal agents on scene.
One man barricaded himself in a wall compartment and pulled box cutters on agents when they attempted to remove him, leading to charges of assault on a federal officer.
“So we did execute a civil search warrant here at this location, for personnel from Glenn Valley Foods that were using fake IDs, fraudulent IDs, or some type of combination of IDs that weren’t real,” an ICE agent told NewsNation.
The operation comes amid nationwide protests over immigration enforcement, particularly in Los Angeles, where similar workplace raids last week triggered demonstrations that prompted Trump to deploy National Guard troops.
Glenn Valley Foods owner Gary Rohwer said he used the federal E-Verify system to check workers’ eligibility but was deceived by employees using stolen identities of U.S. citizens, which allowed them to pass background checks.
“I don’t understand why in the hell they were using false ID when they can get a visa,” Rohwer said. “I was dumbfounded, these are good good people they really truly are and they’re part of our family,”
Rohwer, who now has to rebuild his entire workforce, is worried about the impact on his business and customers who depend on the company’s products. Federal agents described him as a victim of the scheme rather than a willing participant.
“He is a victim at the end of the day,” an agent told NewsNation. “And together with our state, federal and local partners, we’ve been able to make a difference, work with that company, teach them how to do this process better, safer.”
The business owner has cooperated fully with federal agencies and is not facing charges, according to officials.
The operation is part of the Trump administration’s renewed focus on workplace enforcement as part of broader immigration crackdowns. Such operations have become flashpoints for protests, with critics arguing they separate families and damage communities while supporters say they’re necessary to enforce immigration law and protect American workers.