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Mt. Pleasant Daughter Talks About Her Dad's Arrest in Immigration Raid

Mt. Pleasant, Iowa

Immigration officials arrested 32 people in Mt. Pleasant Iowa last week as part of a raid on a concrete factory. 

During this segment of River to River, host Ben Kieffer talks with Reverend Trey Hegar, who is pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Pleasant. The church has been trying to help families in Mt. Pleasant who are now worried about being able to pay their rent next month with the breadwinner for the home in ICE custody. Juana Barrios, whose father was arrested as part of the raid, also joins the conversation.

"When I found out, it was the most horrible feeling I've ever experienced in my life," Barrios says. 

"My father is a good man. He has a clean record... so it's kind of a confusing moment for my family right now." 

Correction: This conversation has been edited to exclude commentary about the President's reference to immigrants as "animals."  Reporting from Washington before this interview originally aired did not put that comment into context; shortly before the President made that statement, he was asked about deporting immigrants who are members of the international criminal gang MS-13. 

Lindsey Moon is IPR's Senior Digital Producer
Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River