In an effort to stand with immigrants, Nebraska Lutheran Bishop Brian Maas, Catholic Archdiocese Chancellor Rev. Tim McNeill, and College of St. Mary President Maryanne Stevens joined Omaha Together Organized Communities (OTOC) in a column calling on Congress for an 18-month extension of 'Temporary Protective Status (TPS).'

TPS allows immigrants and refugees like OTOC leader and 20-year resident Wilfredo Rivera (featured in photo above) to avoid deportation. This issue affects 400,000 immigrants nationally, not including their children.

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After working for the last 6 years to increase City funding to demolish 800 condemned buildings in Omaha, Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) testified in favor of $1.1 Million included in the proposed 2018 City budget for demolition of condemned structures, up from just $250,000 in 2012 when OTOC started pushing for increases. As a result, the backlog of abandoned houses has been brought down from over 750 to less than 125.

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Less than a week after Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) leaders began circulating a statement in support of unaccompanied children at the border, 140 leaders signed on -- including Nebraska Episcopal Bishop Scott Barker and NE Lutheran Bishop Brian Maas.

The campaign was precipitated by OTOC immigration action leader Sr. Kathleen Erickson, who had spent 5 weeks on a mission trip to San Pedro Sula in Honduras (the murder capital of the world). With legal experts and other Sisters of Mercy, the immigration action team educated OTOC leadership about the dangers children face in Central America.

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Omaha Together One Community wants both candidates to commit $1 million a year to the problem.

The city has 748 houses on its demolition list. On average, it costs the city about $12,000 to knock down a house -- but neighbors say it's worth every penny.

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After leaders of OTOC's Immigration Action Team challenged Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer to ensure that immigrants stopped by OPD officers receive fair treatment, OPD issued an official bulletin to all officers informing them that the matricula consular could be accepted as valid identification. (The matricula consular is an identification card issued by consulates verifying the place of residence for foreign nationals.) Photo shows leaders in early encounter with Chief Schmaderer.

OTOC leaders also met with the head of Douglas County Corrections and the regional director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about ways to reduce the number of immigrants with small children being detained in Douglas County jails while they await deportation hearings. ICE has now implemented a new release program which allows up to 100 persons who would otherwise be detained to return home to their families while they await their hearings.

After 3 years of raising the issue, leaders of Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) are pleased with the decision of Mayor Suttle and the Omaha City Council to invest a total of $500,000 in new funding to demolish condemned buildings in 2013. Total funding for demolition in 2013 will be $840,000, up from $340,000 in 2012.

"Many of the speakers advocating the demolition of rundown homes were representatives of Omaha Together One Community....'The first speaker from OTOC showed a variety of pictures of rundown houses. The number of such condemned houses has grown from 400 to 742 in three years,' said Karen McElroy. 'We understand that this is a tight budget year, but the mayor and City Council need to make the tough decisions to preserve our urban neighborhoods,' she said."

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"Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) joins the Nebraska Catholic Conference, United Methodist Church leadership, Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska and many other medical, religious and social institutions in support of Legislative Bill 599.

This common-sense legislation would restore prenatal care for all low-income women without regard to their immigration status — an investment in families that Nebraska has been making for more than 20 years..."

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Increase fees for code violations

Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) endorses the proposed amendments to the Omaha Municipal Code that would authorize fee increases for code violation re-inspections.

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"An alliance of Omaha churches and community groups celebrated Tuesday after the City Council unanimously approved measures to increase fees for city building permits and inspections...About 30 members of the group Omaha Together One Community filled ...council chambers as seven of its members testified in favor of the amendments..."We know that many owners respond by fixing the problem. Our concern is with those who do not," said OTOC member Susan Kuhlmann of Omaha."

Since 2003, city fees had stagnated at $41 per re-inspection, a fee so low that 4,000 cases with unpaid fees remain open. The change would increase the fees to $125 per re-inspection over the next three years, high enough for an unpaid fee to appear on a landlord's credit report.

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450 Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) leaders assembled to focus state legislators' attention on immigration. Stories of immigrants and refugees highlighted the economic and legal realities faced by Omaha newcomers while business, religious and academic allies testified about the impact of immigrants on Nebraska, making a case for comprehensive immigration reform at the national level and against piecemeal legislation at the state. Three of the five key Senators on the Judicial Committee participated in the assembly.

OTOC Keeps Focus on Immigration, Omaha World Herald

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