More than 400 people gathered outside the ICE field office in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday to observe and support seven immigrant families attending mandatory check-in appointments. The crowd of supporters shared coffee, hot chocolate, donuts, blankets, hand warmers, books, toys for kids of the families, as well as monetary donations. As each immigrant emerged from the […]
Pascual Pedro Pedro
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Father Guillermo Treviño, a leading advocate for immigrants and workers in eastern Iowa, dies at 39
Father Guillermo Treviño, Jr., pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in West Liberty, died on Friday. His sister, Mariela Treviño-Luna, said in a social media post on Friday evening that Treviño had died unexpectedly after a brief illness caused by complications from diabetes. He was 39 years old. In addition to his pastoral duties in […]
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Appeals court upholds injunction against Reynolds’ attempt to create state-level deportation system; ICE deports Des Moines high school student
On Thursday, a three-judge panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a preliminary injunction stopping an attempt by Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republican leaders in the legislature to create a state-level deportation program in Iowa. SF 2340, passed with only Republican votes, made it a state crime for a person to be in […]
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ICE plans street blockade and checkpoint in Cedar Rapids Tuesday; immigrant advocates plan protest
There are plans to set up a temporary street blockade and checkpoint outside the ICE field office in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Escucha Mi Voz Iowa was told by Department of Homeland Security officials this week. The nonprofit, which assists and advocates on behalf of immigrants, and members of the Catholic Worker have for years […]
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‘I just keep thinking about it. Why us?’ Pascual Pedro Pedro thanks supporters in Iowa as protests of his deportation continue
The parking ramp across the street from the federal building in Cedar Rapids provided shade and some relief from the heat, so that’s where people started gathering before noon on Tuesday for the biggest demonstration yet in support of Pascual Pedro Pedro, a 20-year-old West Liberty resident who was suddenly and unexpectedly deported to Guatemala […]
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Iowans rally in Davenport to demand action from Miller-Meeks, Grassley and Ernst after 20-year-old is deported with no due process
By the time Pascual Pedro Pedro’s grandfather began speaking about how his grandson had been unexpectedly seized by ICE last week and deported to Guatemala without a hearing, there were almost 200 people gathered on the sidewalk in front of 201 W 2nd St in downtown Davenport. More than a dozen were across the street. […]
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‘Bring him back now’: Iowans plan rallies to demand return of young West Liberty resident seized by ICE, deported with no hearing
ICE deported Pascual Pedro Pedro, a 20-year-old resident of West Liberty, on Monday. Pedro came to the United States from Guatemala with his father when he was 13 years old. He lived with his grandparents, who have been in the U.S. for over 30 years, and attended West Liberty High School, where he was a […]
