Habeas corpus is at the center of a constitutional fight over immigration detention playing out in courtrooms across the Midwest, including here in Iowa. An analysis by The Marshall Project and The Midwest Newsroom found that habeas corpus filings in four Midwestern states have been overwhelmingly successful thus far, but the legal landscape is changing. We hear from the reporters involved in the recent investigation and from a law professor about what comes next. Then, researchers hope to expand water testing capabilities with a drone that carries its own water-testing lab.
Isabella Luu
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Iowa Public Radio
Marci Suela/The Marshall Project
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Chris Yang and Brad Weaver, via Unsplash; Ian Panelo, via Pexels; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska; and U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
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Federal immigration agent raids may have faded from the headlines, but not from many people’s minds. In northwest Iowa, community members are stepping up to help immigrants living with uncertainty. -
A bill moving through the Statehouse could limit which countries Iowa colleges can hire foreign professionals from. Supporters say the bill will enhance national security, while critics say it could hurt the competitiveness of higher education institutions in Iowa and open them up to lawsuits. -
State legislatures are debating new proposals on immigration policy. On this episode, we take a closer look at immigration bills under consideration in Iowa and our neighboring states and what those proposals could mean for immigrant families and communities. Erin Murphy breaks down the latest from Iowa, while Brenden Moore and Seth Tupper report on what’s unfolding in Illinois and South Dakota. Harvest Public Media's Anna Pope also joins to explain how changes to food assistance are affecting immigrant families.
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A proposal at the Statehouse would put new limits on the governor's emergency authority. Lawmakers for and against the legislation discuss what's behind this bill. Then, a bill at the Statehouse would bar new employment contracts with H1-B visa holders from certain countries. Later in the episode, we hear about a podcast from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach that explores significant changes farmers have made in their business models. (The third segment of this program was produced in November 2025.)
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Thousands of Iowans joined "No Kings" protests over the weekend, including hundreds who gathered in Sioux City. Organizers said the demonstrations were meant to push back against what they view as abuses of power by the Trump administration. -
Jie Li, an Iowa State researcher originally from China, shares the harm a state bill targeting H-1B applicants from "foreign adversary" nations could cause. Also, updates after the second major deadline at the Statehouse and a major environmental group signaling cautious support for restarting Iowa's shuttered nuclear power plant.
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First generation, immigrant and refugee students at Valley High School in West Des Moines have an opportunity for a scholarship to go to college through a student-led fundraising effort. -
Mothers and infants in the U.S. without legal status and some lawfully present immigrants would be barred from food assistance under a bill that passed the Iowa House Tuesday. The bill would also expand Medicaid eligibility for employed people with disabilities. -
The Iowa Senate passed several bills Wednesday aimed at strengthening immigration status checks related to voting, getting a driver’s license and hiring school and government employees.
