Nebraska Senate hopeful Dan Osborn likens ICE actions to Nazi persecution

In a town-hall meeting held in October 2025, Dan Osborn - the independent candidate backed by the Nebraska Democratic Party for the U.S. Senate - suggested that today’s immigration enforcement mirrors the Nazi era persecution of German Jews, telling the audience that a “common enemy” is being manufactured. The audio was released by one outlet. Osborn, who positions himself as an independent after the Democratic primary winner stepped aside, has a record of shifting immigration stances, from bragging about reporting undocumented workers at a Kellogg’s plant in 2021 to later supporting Trump-style border policies and, more recently, criticizing certain ICE tactics.

His remarks have prompted Republican opponent Pete Ricketts to accuse him of inconsistent messaging, while left-leaning groups have highlighted his earlier anti-ICE statements. The controversy emerges as Osborn seeks to appeal to both conservative voters in a heavily Republican state and progressive activists linked to organizations such as Indivisible.