Over two months after Jorge Elieser González Ochoa was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, at Bread Garden Market in Iowa City, Escucha Mi Voz, a nonprofit, faith-based immigrant worker group, continues to push for a Fourth Amendment resolution supporting immigrants in the workplace.
Attending multiple city council meetings in both Iowa City and Coralville, Escucha Mi Voz members have voiced opinions on how and why their efforts should be supported by local government.
The resolution has not been voted on, leading community members to ask councilors why there has been inaction.
The resolution, which gained unanimous support from the Iowa City Human Rights Commission on Oct. 28, has the goal of requiring law enforcement to obtain judicial warrants for nonpublic access to private spaces, prohibiting staff consent to ICE entry, and designating safe worker areas.
The resolution will also provide “Know Your Rights” training, which are educational workshops, often led by lawyers or advocates, that teach individuals their constitutional and civil protections, especially during interactions with law enforcement, immigration officials, or in public protests.
In a news release, Escucha Mi Voz said local unions and immigrant families are trying to warn local governments that without clear policies in place, “Iowa City could become a staging ground for constitutionally questionable immigration enforcement actions.”
Escucha Mi Voz community organizer Alejandra Escobar said the organization is trying to gain support, not just from the city council, but also from the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, who are set to discuss the resolution on Dec. 10.
She said immigrants need support from local entities that hold power within the community.
“At the end of the day, nothing can really protect you 100 percent from getting arrested or brutalized by ICE,” Escobar said. “But it means support from the city and the county, because right now, it’s just organizations and community members protecting immigrant families or workers.”
The resolution has gained support from University of Iowa graduate student Clara Reynen and engineer for the Iowa Department of Transportation Newman Abuissa, who both ran for at-large seats in the Iowa City City Council election.
Abuissa, who is a Syrian immigrant, said ICE is a symbol of a broken and harmful immigration system and is an agency that has separated families. He said there are offices within the city, including the Office of Human Rights, that can help integrate the legislation within communities.
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“Fear is what they [ICE] are striving for, and this is why we are asking the City of Iowa City to provide action to this operation,” Abuissa said. “They might need help because they don’t know all the rules and regulations, and I expect the city council to work with these communities ahead of time and activate available resources to help our communities.”
Ed Moreno, the director of Iowa City League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, the Iowa City chapter of the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights organization, said the organization are committed to advancing the rights and opportunities of Latinos through “advocacy, community building, and education.”
“LULAC stands for the dignity of all people and shares concern for the well-being of individuals and communities in Johnson County with Escucha Mi Voz and other local organizations,” he said.
While it still remains unclear when the Iowa City City Council will vote on the resolution, Escobar said Escucha Mi Voz will continue to press the issue in the city and the county to support immigrants.
“That would be a big win if we can have it on the [agenda] and voted on before the year [is over],” she said. “But the end of the year is just in a couple of weeks, and then we’re back at it. Even if [it gets passed at] the beginning of 2026, that would be an amazing way to start the new year.”
Iowa City City Council declined The Daily Iowan’s request for comment on the resolution.
By passing the resolution, Escobar said local government will be showing that they want to protect immigrant families to the best of their ability.
“It’s important to see local government support doing what they can in a nonviolent way to protect immigrant workers and families,” she said. “It means support. It means that they got our backs, too. It’s not only us protecting ourselves — it’s also the local government trying to do something to slow down this craziness.”