Iowans can reduce immigrants’ fear about ICE check-in dates

Eva Castro says she left Columbia to escape violence and to work in the United States. She hopes she can stay after checking in Tuesday, Dec. 2, along with others at the Cedar Rapids’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.

She has been dreading the visit for more than a month.

“I am very scared, with everything that is going on in the immigrant community,” she said in an interview I did with her and another Iowa immigrant a while back in anticipation of her ICE check-in.

She should expect a lot of company. Catholic Workers House leaders say at least 15 immigrant families have asked the organization to accompany them to their mandatory check-ins Dec. 2, and six have asked for Wednesday, Dec. 3.

“That’s 21 families in 24 hours,” an email from the group stated. “We have never seen numbers like this. There is a real risk that ICE is stacking check-ins to meet their end-of-year deportation quotas.”

As you should expect, Eastern Iowans who support the immigrants’ right to due process and a fair chance at being in this country will be at the Cedar Rapids office.

Castro will take mental baggage into her session. Her daughter, Laura, is Jorge Elieser González Ochoa’s wife. González Ochoa was arrested by ICE agents Sept. 25 in a public show of force at the downtown Iowa City Bread Garden grocery store and deli.

“I have to worry about myself and Jorge and or my daughter, because, yeah, they’re experiencing a difficult time right now, and I’m the only form of emotional support that she has right now,” Castro said through an interpreter.

Video shows men who do not identify themselves throwing González Ochoa, who worked at Bread Garden, to the floor and binding his hands behind his back. Federal authorities filed several charges against González Ochoa, who was in the Muscatine County Jail awaiting movement on his U.S. District Court case following an Oct. 20 detention hearing. His next appearance is in the same week as Castro’s check-in.

Castro said he is innocent. “We shouldn’t be targeted or accused of something because we are immigrants,” she said.

Castro has been talking at various places along with Ruby Caceres, an immigrant Iowan who came to the state from Venezuela. Caceres said immigrants going into ICE check-ins appreciate support from those who stand outside the Cedar Rapids ICE building and send words of encouragement. “You can take away our fear,” she said.

Caceres works for Amazon, making deliveries. She was a chemistry teacher in Venezuela, she said.

Ask her what we born-and-raised Iowans fail to understand about the situation facing modern-day immigrants in this country and Caceres says: “Many things, because you are from here. You are a white people. You know you won’t be discriminated, you won’t suffer discrimination.”

Caceres said in an interview the explanation is hard to get across but gave it a try. “When you move in a new city, it’s difficult figuring out this new city. But, when you move in another country, when you don’t speak the languages, you don’t know anybody and you feel the people don’t like you, it’s really hard. And, you have to be fearless to be here and make your future better.”

Going through the legal process is not easy. Bram Elias, University of Iowa clinical law professor and director of the college’s Immigration Law Clinic, said at an October immigration rights forum in Iowa City it takes seven to eight years after applying to get a required interview for legal immigration. Losing that round sends the immigrant to a removal system in which it takes up to nine years to be heard.

Flatwater Press reported, in a story published in the Nov. 23 Gazette, that immigration court judges have been overwhelmed with the increase in cases during the Trump administration so the immigrants are forced to wait. Elias said immigration fees mount during all of these years, which linger into as many as 18 or 19 years.

Castro said he is glad other Iowans intend to be there when she enters the Cedar Rapids ICE building Dec. 2. “It’s very important because, when people show up, the government can see that, you know, we’re not doing things,” she said via her interpreter, referring to allegations of suspicious activity those favoring aggressive deportation claim about the immigrants and, for that matter, advocates claim about ICE.

“We’re just immigrants, and we have people standing by us and supporting us throughout this.”

Lyle Muller is a retired Iowa journalist who still works as the professional adviser for Grinnell College’s Scarlet & Black newspaper. He is a former editor of The Gazette (Cedar Rapids), He is a recipient of the Iowa Newspaper Association’s Distinguished Service Award, Iowa College Media’s Association’s Eighmey Award, and Iowa Newspaper Association’s Stratton Award. lylemul@gmail.com