Hundreds of people gathered Tuesday to support immigrants at ICE check-in appointments in Cedar Rapids, despite a federal police perimeter.
The monthly crowd of support has historically formed on the lawn outside the Cedar Rapids ICE Field Office, but moved into the street after the Department of Homeland Security formed a perimeter around the building with squad cars and police tape. Masked federal agents and six Cedar Rapids Police Department officers were also present.
“For what we are and what we’re doing, they didn’t need any officers,” said Jonathan Heifner, pastor at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, pointing to agents in tactical gear.
Event organizers Escucha Mi Voz and Iowa City Catholic Worker have called the monthly gatherings “protective accompaniments,” where individual members of the public accompany immigrants into appointments as allowed. The rest of the group remains outside the building, holding signs of support, while various speakers lead prayers and chants.
“We want to make sure that there are people watching this process unfold and watching to make sure that our community members are not unjustly deported,” said Iowa House Rep. Angel Ramirez, who spoke outside at the gathering while appointments took place inside.
Community support at ICE check-in appointments in Cedar Rapids has grown steadily this year, with last month's gathering bringing together more than 300 supporters. The crowd size grew just weeks after Pascual Pedro’s detention at the same ICE office and his deportation to Guatemala.
Following that gathering, ICE informed Escucha Mi Voz and Iowa City Catholic Worker of plans to establish a checkpoint and shut down Square D Drive at an in-person meeting at the office Aug. 26.
The new restrictions came as a surprise to Escucha Mi Voz, which denounced the planned barricades as an abuse of power designed to hide detentions and deportations from public view in a Monday news release. ICE said it was necessary.
“ICE respects the rights of individuals to peacefully protest, but due to prior incidents of vandalism, unlawful activity, and protesters blocking traffic and preventing individuals from entering the building to comply with their immigration requirements, the Federal Protective Service established a perimeter for the first time at this location,” an ICE spokesperson said. ICE and Federal Protective Service did not respond to questions about what specific incidents occurred at events organized by Escucha Mi Voz and Iowa City Catholic Worker.
The announcement of law enforcement presence is what prompted Bram Elias, director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Iowa College of Law, to bring students to the gathering.
“It definitely feels like someone is trying to send a message to someone,” Elias told Iowa Public Radio’s River to River. “We went to watch in case we need to advise clients differently in the future on how to behave.”
Elias said the blockade was less obstructive than the planned checkpoint and road closure first communicated to organizers. Community members held the street peacefully for more than two hours with no reported confrontations.
“I think the blockade turned out much better than we thought … partially because we were able to stand in the street,” said Jane Noble Davis, an Iowa City Catholic Worker and Escucha Mi Voz member.
Four immigrants were granted one-year extensions, including Jaky Torres Toro, a Honduran asylum-seeker with three children.
"I got one more year. I thank God that I made it out of there," Torres Toro told the crowd through an interpreter. "Thank you all for being here with me today and accompanying me. I feel stronger now, seeing all of you out here with joy on your faces."
Three other immigrants were detained, including Maria Eugenia Enriquez Reyes. She and her husband, Omar Abilez, had an appointment Tuesday morning, and when they arrived, immigration officers had a deportation order for both of them, according to The Gazette.
Enriquez Reyes was detained, and Abilez was told he has to leave the country within the month, with his son. Abilez said he’s hoping to work with Escucha Mi Voz to find a lawyer who can help get his wife released from ICE custody, The Gazette reported.
“I’d like to see if I can fight for her to be released so we can leave together,” Abilez said in Spanish.
The perimeter was still up, and federal officers were present outside of the building again Wednesday, as about 50 supporters gathered to accompany two immigrants and their families to check-ins. It is unclear if others were detained.
Escucha Mi Voz community organizer Alejandra Escobar said they will continue to show up and accompany immigrants, even with the new barriers.
“Let's see how long it lasts, because I bet they're wasting a lot of resources. They have to pay these people to be here, just sitting,” Escobar said.
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METHODS
To report this story, Naomi Delkamiller traveled to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and attended two days of gatherings outside the ICE Field Office. She interviewed law enforcement officers, clergy members, state representatives and immigrants exiting check-in appointments.
TYPE OF ARTICLE
News: Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story stated Pascual Pedro Pedro. The individual's name is Pascual Pedro. The story has been updated to correct his name.
