The Cedar Rapids school district has ended it's partnership with a local org that helps students of color achieve their academic goals. If it didn't, the Trump administration would have withheld $18M in federal funds.
Scenes from today's protest against federal immigration officers violently detaining Jorge Eliecer Gonzalez Ochoa yesterday in a downtown Iowa City grocery store.
Today, federal immigration enforcement officers stormed a downtown Iowa City grocery store and detained one Jorge Gonzalez. Three officers tackled him, pinned his hands behind his back, and threatened to tase him when he resisted arrest. www.instagram.com/p/DPCEAtpjmT...
Republican state Rep. Shannon Lundgren joins the race for Iowa's 2nd District - she says she wants to work alongside the President to deport people in the country without legal status, support small businesses, and end what she calls "woke gender ideology" www.iowapublicradio.org/political-ne...
Protests today in Fort Madison against the state asking for a private company to take over prison health care. It's unclear what might happen to the 300 existing public workers in Iowa's nine state prisons. Iowa AFL-CIO Pres Charlie Wishman says Iowa needs safe public health care.
Protests continued this morning outside the ICE office in Cedar Rapids. DHS officers are no longer allowing interpreters in with immigrants checking in. From what I can see, the protests have been entirely peaceful.
Scenes from tonight's vigil for Charlie Kirk at the University of Iowa. It looked like hundreds of people. Organized by local chapter of TPUSA.
I tried to get search audits from law enforcement agencies in Iowa that use Flock Safety's license plate readers. Many denied my requests, saying it's intelligence data. Iowa DPS is supposed to regulate intelligence systems, but there's no indication the agency is doing so.
Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks is proposing renaming the University of Iowa Center for Intellectual Freedom to the Charlie Kirk Center for Intellectual Freedom. She says the center should live up to its name by "honoring a true defender of free speech."
Tensions have continued to escalate at the DHS office in Cedar Rapids between ICE and immigrant rights advocates who have organized a weekly presence outside. Yesterday, DHS did not allow an interpreter in with an immigrant during her check-in appointment. www.iowapublicradio.org/live-updates...
HUD administrator Joe Mitchell is running for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District. The 28-year-old Trump appointee says he wants to cut spending, secure the border, and protect farmers. www.iowapublicradio.org/political-ne...
State Sen. Charlie McClintock is running for Congress in Iowa's Second District. The Alburnett Republican says he understands the Republican platform and the importance of an America First agenda. He's serving his second term in the Iowa Senate and served one term in the House.
Amidst the Ernst/Hinson shakeup, former Congressman Rod Blum said on Facebook "it was the honor of my lifetime" to serve Iowa's 1st District and that people should "stay tuned," referencing 2nd District support for another bid for Congress.
U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson just announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate after Sen. Joni Ernst said she won't run for re-election earlier today.
The immigrant workers who were laid off from a JBS plant in Ottumwa in June after the Trump administration revoked their legal statuses are struggling mentally and financially. I did a write-up on Meghan's interview: www.iowapublicradio.org/ipr-news/202...
Johnson County officials anticipate a new bond to help fund the construction of an estimated $106M jail appearing on the ballot next November. A survey from UI shows broad support for the joint facility, which will house both the Sheriff's Office and ICPD.
Muscatine’s Jesus Hernandez was detained June 25 as a material witness in a case where he was the victim. Hernandez is in the U.S. without legal status and was jailed to prevent his deportation so he could testify. His family is asking for the county attorney to approve a U visa.
I talked with faculty about what the policy actually means for them and their teaching - it's closer to the bottom. Policy stuff and Regent opinions upfront: www.iowapublicradio.org/education/20...
Today Iowa Regents passed policy revisions allowing faculty to teach relevant controversial topics and directing them not to indoctrinate students. Some faculty have questions about what is considered "controversial" or "indoctrination," but they mostly agree with the policy.
Governor Kim Reynolds announced this morning she authorized 20 of Iowa's National Guard soldiers to help ICE with administrative and logistical work. Goes into effect Sep 8-Nov 15.
Today, Governor Reynolds said she is waiting for a response from DOD to finalize a deal with DHS & Sec. Noem that could involve deploying the Iowa National Guard to help with immigration enforcement. Would not provide specifics, said many things still need to be worked out.
Confirmed: 3 arrests today during annual check-ins at the ICE facility in Cedar Rapids. Among them are Hugo Zamora of Postville and Moctar Sanogo of Muscatine. This despite hundreds gathered outside the building in a show of solidarity.
