NewsNational News

Scathing note left in DREAMer's mailbox after DACA testimony at Omaha City Council meeting

Posted
and last updated

A woman in Bellevue, Nebraska is concerned for her safety after receiving an anonymous typed-note in her mailbox.

Amor Habbab-Mills, a DREAMer who lived in Omaha for 12 years before moving to Bellevue last year, said she was shocked and disheartened when she went to her mailbox Tuesday morning and found a scathing note left there without an envelope.

The note read: “FYI, you live in Bellevue, not Omaha. The Omaha City Council has no power to improve your life. However if you do lose your driver’s license in March and are forced to spend some time at 106, you might consider cleaning up your property.”

Habbab, who lives with her husband and 6-month-old baby in a quiet secluded street, said she believes the note, which addresses her undocumented legal status in the U.S., was delivered to her after she testified in front of the Omaha City Council last Tuesday, advocating for DACA, and urging them to reach out to Congress so Nebraska DREAMers wouldn’t have to worry about losing their drivers’ licenses after the March 5 deadline, if Congress doesn’t find a permanent solution for DACA.

“I cried. I was just really scared and really frustrated that this is happening in 2017,” Habbab said.

Habbab said she believes whoever left the note in her mailbox, came to her house twice.

“The letter was typed. There are a lot of leaves scattered around my house because of the wind. How would they already have a typed letter ready saying my property was a mess unless they had already seen my house,” Habbab said. “That’s the scary part of it because that means I didn’t notice that someone came to my house twice.”

Fearful that whoever wrote the letter would be back, Habbab said she quickly called police to file a police report.

“An office came within the hour — he was very respectful. He was very honest and told me, I’m going to be honest with you, I don’t think these people are going to harm you — I think they’re just racist and have nothing better to do,” Habbab said.

Bellevue Police told Omaha-based KMTV a disturbing the peace report was filed; a threat report was not filed because there was no actual threat in the note.

Police said they will increase patrol cars in the area.

Although there was no threat or harassment report filed, Habbab said she still feels intimated.

“They know that by leaving the note they were telling me that they don’t care about me. That they don’t want me here. That I’m not welcome here,” Habbab said. “Now, every time I drive around, I’m going to think am I being followed. Is someone following? Is this going to turn into a stalking pattern? That’s the effect of it.”

A spokesperson from the postal inspectors unit of the U.S. Postal Service told 3 News Now it is not legal to leave items in someone’s mailbox without a stamp.