Hunter
09/01/25
Protesters and community activists planning on accompanying immigrant families to their ICE check-ins in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday will be met with a blockade by agents.
According to a release from Escucha Mi Voz, agents with the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Services (DHS FPS) informed members they plan to erect a checkpoint and blockade on Tuesday, shutting down Square D Dr., parts of the front lawn, and the alley connecting the ICE office to the neighboring building and parking lot.
According to FPS, the blockade will include squad cars, officers from multiple federal, state, and local agencies, along with caution tape and barricades.
Organizational leaders are denouncing the planned barricades as an abuse of power designed to hide detentions and deportations from public view.
Tom Mohan, a Cedar Rapids resident and member of Catholic Workers, said “Blocking public access with an ICE checkpoint is an outrageous abuse of power designed to hide deportations from public view. The Cedar Rapids Police should not be colluding with Homeland Security and the Iowa State Patrol to intimidate immigrant families and silence community witnesses.”
About 300 people and two dozen elected officials attended immigration appointments at the Cedar Rapids ICE office on August 5th. They accompanied immigrant families to their appointments and documented three additional detentions.
Tuesday’s appointments start at 7:30am.