Over 400 community members gathered outside the Cedar Rapids Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, office accompanying families to their check-in appointments early Tuesday morning, including Jorge González Ochoa, who was detained by ICE in Iowa City’s Bread Garden Market in September.
González Ochoa was released from ICE custody last month, and a federal judge ruled ICE illegally detained the 28-year-old in the Muscatine County Jail, according to court documents.
González Ochoa was arrested by plainclothes ICE agents at Bread Garden Market, his place of employment, and is facing federal charges that he used false identification. He was not available for comment after his check-in.
As the crowd swelled in size, bringing with them signs denouncing ICE, families began to line up behind yellow police tape after being offered coats and blankets by members of Escucha Mi Voz, an Iowa City immigrant advocacy organization, to stay warm during their wait.
The rally is part of monthly efforts organized by Escucha Mi Voz to prevent immigrants from being detained during their routine check-ins.
Following the Trump administration setting a daily quota of 3,000 arrests in May 2025, scheduled check-ins and court dates carry the risk of detainment despite immigrants complying with government rules and regulations, according to The Guardian.
“Since this administration has taken office, we have seen an increase in detentions at these ICE check-ins,” Escucha Mi Voz organizer Getsy Hernandez said. “Sometimes individuals go in, and they do not come out.”
Rogelio Lagunas, who immigrated to Iowa from Mexico and lived in Cedar Rapids, was one of many who had an appointment at the ICE office.
“I hope everything goes well,” Lagunas said to the crowd as he prepared to go in for his check-in. “Thank you for being here.”
The group of protesters collectively sang from the Justice Choir Songbook from the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, led by members of the Quire of Eastern Iowa, and participated in a group prayer over Lagunas before he joined the line of families waiting to be let inside the office.
“The main part is just showing solidarity and support for them,” Hernandez said. “Even if we’re not able to go in with them, they know that we have their back and that we will be here if anything happens.”
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As Hernandez explained to the crowd, people are not allowed to go inside the ICE office with immigrants to offer their support or to provide interpretation services.
The crowd continued to gather outside in support, carrying signs that mourned the recent killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE, and calling for ICE to get out of Iowa.
Hannah Rust has been making the trek from Iowa City to Cedar Rapids since October to join Escucha Mi Voz in accompanying families to their check-in appointment.
“I definitely think there’s an impact of having the crowd here as some pressure to make sure that they’re doing everything legally and that people are watching,” Rust said. “I think it also gives a lot of people comfort knowing that they have a community that’s supporting them.”
At a table behind the crowd of speakers, volunteers offered protesters and the people attending their appointment warm clothing like hats, gloves, and jackets to protect themselves from freezing temperatures. As each person exited the office, the crowd broke into cheers as they celebrated another person’s safety.
“No human disappears when we are watching,” Jane Noble Davis, a volunteer with Iowa City Catholic Worker House, said to the crowd. “We showed up to stand in solidarity, shining our light where ICE wants to work in darkness.”
Noble-Davis said following multiple examples of DHS making false claims to excuse the violent actions of ICE and Border Patrol agents, it is important for people to witness and observe.
“We have a lot of people who are leaders who are ignorant to what is really happening, and they need to come and stand with us to see what’s happening and to know the truth,” Noble-Davis said.
According to a news release from Escucha Mi Voz, there were no detentions reported Tuesday. After almost an hour, Lagunas exited the DHS office to the sound of cheers from the crowd.
“Thank you for supporting us,” Lagunas said. “We feel supported because you guys are here.”
