By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
Traducción al español a continuación)
The Iowa SF2340 immigration law has concerned the immigrant community within the Diocese of Sioux City for several months. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law in April, which was to go into effect on July 1. Although an injunction is delaying the implementation of the law, pending the outcome of civil litigation, many continue to have questions, concerns and even fears.
The Iowa Catholic Conference (ICC), the public policy voice of the Iowa bishops opposed the bill, noting among other issues that it was “preempted by federal law and the U.S. Constitution.”
The ICC explained the law includes criminal penalties for those who have come into the state and “don’t have legal authorization to be here.” If the law were enacted, it would be an aggravated misdemeanor in Iowa for a person to have been previously denied admission to the country or have been deported. The law also required judges to effectively deport individuals “after finding probable cause for an arrest under the bill.”
In an effort to provide accurate information regarding the Iowa immigration law, Storm Lake St. Mary Parish, Storm Lake advocacy and health coalition organization Salud, the Storm Lake Police Department and the diocesan Office of Multicultural Ministries collaborated to offer a session in Spanish in the St. Mary parish hall following the June 23 Spanish Mass.
Storm Lake Police Chief Chris Cole said he reached out to Father Brent Lingle, St. Mary pastor, as organizers wanted to have the meeting in a place where immigrants would be at ease, such as the local Catholic Church.
“I know there’s a large amount of our Hispanic population here in Storm Lake that are Catholics,” Cole said. “I feel it’s a safe place to go and feel comfortable versus a meeting somewhere where people might be hesitant to show up.”
St. Mary’s pastor said he agreed to provide the site and help advertise the meeting to his parishioners as he recognized the need.
“With our population and demographics as a parish, this bill obviously will affect some as many people are going to have some connection to someone with immigration issues. I think it’s important as a church that we can provide a safe place for this conversation to take place without the fear of outside people interfering,” Father Lingle noted.
Many immigrants indicated they are “afraid they are going to be targeted based on color of skin and questioned and detained and that’s their reality,” Cole explained, noting it is the fear of both documented and undocumented immigrants.
He said if an officer was investigating a situation, “Your first question isn’t, ‘Are you an undocumented immigrant?’ or anything like that.”
Nearly 75 parishioners and area residents attended the event with several Salud board members, Cole and diocesan staff present. The police chief spoke to the group in Spanish, hoping to calm fears regarding local law enforcement.
“I have spoken with members of our immigrant community and I know that some are afraid,” he said. “As chief of police, it is my duty to ensure the safety of all people who reside in or visit our city, regardless of race, ethnicity and origin. The well-being of each family is important to us.”
He explained that the department “is fully committed to working to ensure the rights and safety of all people in our city.” The police chief stressed that he and his officers wanted all residents to feel safe when interacting with them, and to feel comfortable reporting a crime to local law enforcement.
“Trust that we are here to help you feel safer,” he explained. “Please don’t be afraid. We are here for you. We are here for everyone.”
Salud board member Emilia Marroquin shared PowerPoint slides, outlining various details of the immigration law in the event that it would go into effect. She also shared information regarding the civil rights of all who live in the United States. Several attendees captured photos of the informational slides with their smartphone cameras.
Marroquin’s presentation included advice to prepare for a worst-case scenario of being detained – designate a trusted individual with your information and to care for any minor children and keep medicines and documents in a safe place.
Questions posed by the attendees included asking if residents speaking a language other than English or with darker skin would be “pulled over” by law enforcement to determine immigration status due to the SF2340 law. Others asked how they should respond to an officer if involved in a traffic stop. One man wanted to stress to the police chief that “we’re not delinquents – just trying to do the right thing.”
An attendee asked what advice Cole would give to those who are not documented and how to behave around law enforcement officers.
“Observe Iowa laws. It’s our obligation to enforce the law,” the police chief offered. “And always tell the truth.”
After the event, a parishioner shared with Lumen Media that “many people were not here today” as they were afraid to attend if law enforcement was present. She said she would share the information provided and share contact information for the Catholic Charities Welcome program with those who did not attend. Welcome provides immigration law and case management services in the diocese at no cost. (Contact Norma Garza-Ramirez at Welcome at [email protected].)
Emilia Marroquin explains the SF2340 immigration law in Storm Lake.