immigration

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.

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.)

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.

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.

In 2012, the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn began the process of transforming their 30-acre campus into the Jens Jensen Prairie Landscape Park. Jens Jensen returns to the program to talk about the progress made over the last several years, along with MoDA Interim Executive Director Erik Andersen. Brett Seelman also joins to discuss a campus master plan that was recently adopted by MoDA, which envisions an expansion to attract more visitors to the museum and park. Later in the episode, we meet David Morton, the curator of landscape at Brucemore in Cedar Rapids. Morton has worked in the landscaping for this national historic site for over 20 years, and he and Brucemore CEO David Janssen join to discuss the challenges and silver linings brought by the devastating 2020 derecho.

A bill that would make several changes to public assistance programs advanced through an Iowa House subcommittee Wednesday over the objections of people who said it would result in more babies going hungry.