El Perico de Omaha

08/24/2026

A UNO grad earned her private pilot license in the U.S., a step toward her goal of becoming a commercial pilot.

She ultimately lost the battle to remain in the country, despite help from a U.S. congressman.

Ever since she can remember, Mariana Juarez wanted to fly. A commercial pilot’s license seemed a distant dream, though, when family hardships in her home in Guerrero, Mexico, drove her out of school at age 14. Two years later, she and her mom fled to the United States without authorization. They ...

08/06/2026

The need for blue-collar jobs, affordable houses and having local voices on public boards were some of the concerns voiced during a South Omaha-focused housing forum on Tuesday.

A South Omaha-focused forum hosted by a nonprofit housing agency drew about 80 people and provoked concerns ranging from a need for more “blue-collar” jobs, affordable houses versus apartments and local voices on public boards and in policy-making offices.    But the most impassioned discussi...

07/02/2026

A Venezuelan man was accused of slamming an ICE officer's head into the ground and attempting to choke her to death in Bellevue. Bystander video tells a different story.

In the days after the arrest of a Venezuelan man working as a food delivery driver in Bellevue last June, the Department of Homeland Security made a series of alarming allegations. Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, 31, was referred to by DHS as a “criminal illegal alien” and a “known Tren de Aragua t...

06/29/2026

Construction began Monday on a $25 million redevelopment project in South Omaha. Plaza de la Raza is expected to open in fall 2027.

06/26/2026

“I wanted the mural to reflect the lived experiences of immigrants and refugees who have made Omaha their home.”

The creator of an Omaha mural that many immigrants draw inspiration from talked about what makes the project special.

Pass by 42nd and Center streets, and you might see people posing for photos or just looking in amazement. It’s the home of the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement, and what catches people’s eyes is the mural. For many immigrants and refugees who arrive in America, making the decision to...

06/24/2026

"That’s when I realized I was completely alone."

Amid deportations, what happens to children who are U.S. citizens? A look at the emotional roller coaster families are going through.

Overview: More separation looms for Guatemalan migrant family in Nebraska two decades The Guatemalan mom left the Omaha immigration office, a monitor attached to her ankle, and immediately called her teenage son who was at home watching seven younger siblings. She was coming home, Isabel Quinilla Pu...

06/18/2026

“A lot of kids don’t know this relief exists until it’s too late.”

Confusion often surrounds young immigrants seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, which is one pathway to permanent residency.

This article is part of the project Lives in the Balance, which brought together nearly 100 journalists from six universities to document the reach of that system from inside the nation’s immigration courts. The Midwest Newsroom provided editorial support to the team from the University of Nebra...

06/17/2026

Three University of Nebraska-Lincoln students spent a week observing Omaha Immigration Court, where they found a backlogged system overwhelmed by language barriers and policy changes.

Jordy guzzled Monster energy drinks and chewed gum in an attempt to stay awake on his drive from California into the nation’s heartland on a chilly February day. He sometimes tried to nap during the 22-hour road trip. Jordy and a buddy embarked on the cross-country trip against the advice of his f...

05/14/2026

The annual Cinco de Mayo festival is returning to South Omaha for its 106th year. The event, which will be held Friday through Sunday, features a parade, live music and more.

The annual Cinco de Mayo festival is returning to the heart of South Omaha for its 106th year.  Casa de la Cultura, in partnership with Supermercado Nuestra Familia, announced Cinco de Mayo Omaha will be held May 15-17 along historic South 24th Street from L to O streets. The three-day festival, wh...

05/11/2026

“They’re controlling me with the monitor. I really don’t know what is going to happen.”

Rolando Lorenzo Nicolas, a deacon in the Omaha archdiocese, is being forced to wear an ankle monitor so federal immigration agents can track him.

Sounds of an indigenous Mayan language, along with Spanish prayer, guitar strumming and ceremonial incense, filled the South Omaha church previously a home base to European newcomers. The current congregation, many wearing traditional huipil garb, was celebrating its rare spiritual leader, believe...