The article explores the ongoing effects of a 2018 immigration raid on the Hispanic community in O'Neill, Nebraska. Leydi Flores shares her anxiety about her son's birthday party, fearing that friends might avoid attending due to immigration concerns. Local sentiment is heavy, reflecting a sense of loss and fear that persists after the raid displaced several families and shuttered businesses. Kasey Hoffman, an English teacher, narrates the emotional toll that continues to afflict the community, indicating a struggle with recovery and acceptance post-raid. The town remains cautious, still feeling the ripples of national immigration policies.
"I'm worried," Flores said, cuddling her grandson in a banquet room at the restaurant as her daughter put together an enormous cardboard Winnie-the-Pooh for the celebration. "We invited all these people. Will they come? Do they have visas or not? Will the police be outside watching?"
"I feel like we've bounced back to a certain extent, but I feel like there's a heaviness you can't truly recover from," said Kasey Hoffman, a part-time English teacher.
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