Cries of “Bring Jorge home, bring them all home” from more than 300 of Iowa City residents, government officials, and community advocates, shook the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall on Friday during a rally led by Escucha Mi Voz, an immigrant workers’ rights organization in Iowa City, following the arrest of Jorge Elieser González Ochoa Thursday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

This response came just over 24 hours after ICE officers in plain clothes arrested González Ochoa while working at the Bread Garden Market in Iowa City. 

The crowd gathered on the Ped Mall Friday to rally not only for release of González Ochoa but also for the cessation of raids, arrests, and prosecution of immigrants by ICE.  

In attendance was Ben Drahos, a recent graduate of the University of Iowa and an employee at Bread Garden, who witnessed the arrest. In the wake of the incident, Drahos said the atmosphere at Bread Garden is tense. 

Several local government officials from both the city and county were present as well as state legislators, including Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague, Johnson County Supervisor Jon Green, Iowa Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, among others, addressed the crowd with resounding remarks denouncing ICE’s actions in Iowa City and Iowa as a whole.

“I feel powerless when my federal counterparts are not only watching this happen and refusing to speak on behalf of my neighbors and our collective constituents,” Levin said to the crowd. “They want it. They are voting for it. They are fighting to see our community torn apart, and it makes me sick.”

Green and Teague’s comments, especially, were met with roaring chants of “F— ICE,” and “Bring Jorge home, bring them all home.” Shouts of “Shame!” and various other responses came from the crowd each time a speaker referenced González Ochoa’s arrest and other ICE arrests, brewing uproar and energy of a community wanting to take action. 

The rally began with comments and a group-led prayer by Rev. Guillermo Trevino, a pastor from  St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in West Liberty. Hundreds joined in prayer before hearing remarks from Alejandra Escobar, organizer at Escucha Mi Voz.

Escobar named U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, calling the representatives complicit in allowing President Donald Trump to “trouble our immigrant families.” 

Eva Castro, González Ochoa’s mother-in-law, and Laura Castro, González Ochoa’s partner also spoke at the rally.

Eva Castro, with the help of a translator, said she and other family members are troubled by the arrest and the feelings of persecution as a result of ICE’s actions. 

“We’re feeling upset,” she said. “We left our country to leave persecution. We left violence, and we’re supposed to be here in a safe place.” 

Laura Castro said the arrest has shocked her family and left them feeling vulnerable and alone. 

“He was simply working for his home, for his family, so that we could have a better life,” she said. “I feel lonely here today, just with my son, when I thought that we would be together as a family and raise him together.”

Despite how the arrest affected her family, Laura Castro said she wanted to speak against the persecution and demand its end. Through tears, she asked for the state and federal government to cease their actions against immigrant families. 

“I want them to stop violating our rights as immigrants,” she said. 

Both Green and Teague called for community action to stand against ICE’s actions and presence in Iowa City. Teague specifically called the arrest “aggressive and uncalled for,” and said González Ochoa is a hard-working father and husband.

Teague said González Ochoa, as a member of the Iowa City community, deserves better treatment. To make the arrest in the middle of Bread Garden Market, a community grocery store, he said, was especially a violation of the “kindness” Iowa City embraces. 

“No child should be taken from that, no town’s father should be taken in that manner,” he said. “None. All families deserve to live, work, and thrive with dignity.” 

Green said the next step for  ICE agents and representatives is prosecution. 

“I want to talk policy real quick, and I want to talk about how we can effectuate that policy,” he said. “The policy is pretty simple: F— ICE.”

In an interview with The Daily Iowan, Green said action by a unified community and elected officials is necessary in fighting to protect immigrant communities. 

“They can take so much from us, but they can’t take our spirit,” he said. “So, we have to make sure we are building that community and organizing the hell out of it, and we’re just going to have to overwhelm them in the midterms.” 

Currently, González Ochoa is being held in the Linn County Jail. During his remarks, Teague said González Ochoa is in need of medical attention and said the community must demand he receive care. 

The DI was unable to confirm that González Ochoa is in need of medical care at this time.

RELATED: Video shows Iowa City resident arrested by federal agents at Bread Garden Market

In a statement to the DI, an ICE spokesperson said González Ochoa is under investigation for fraud and the arrest was executed professionally, “despite influence by agitators,” and in full compliance with the law, saying officers identified themselves with both management and González Ochoa. 

David Leshtz, 78, of Iowa City, also attended the rally and criticized ICE’s handling of the arrest and echoed a collective sentiment about the specific tactics he said ICE is using for intimidation. 

“The so-called arrests could have easily happened at his home,” he said. “There’s no need, other than to instill fear in the populace.”