Iowans speak out against immigration policy under new Trump Administration.

When Shelby Schmitt woke up on the morning of Nov. 6, the first thing she did was check the election results from the night before. Instant fear washed over her as she read that Donald Trump had defeated Kamala Harris and been reelected president of the United States. 

“I didn’t fear for myself; I feared for my neighbors, my students, my colleagues,” said Schmitt, a retired high school teacher from Ames, Iowa.

She expressed that, given President Trump’s stance on immigration, she wasn’t sure what the future would look like for the people in her life who weren’t originally from the United States.

“It’s worse given the fact that I know these are people in this country legally, but they will still be targeted just because,” Schmitt said.

Iowans Fight Back

On Jan. 25, the Iowa Party for Socialism and Liberation held a rally at the Iowa State Capitol to protest Trump’s deportation plans. Over 100 people from across the state, including Schmitt, showed up to voice their support for the immigrant community and fight back against Trump and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ policies. 

“We are standing together with people all across the country who have seen the attacks against immigrants and are determined to stand up. By being here today, we are showing Trump and his billionaire friends that we will not stay silent and let them turn our community members into villains,” said a PSL member who only identified as Comrade Aya. “We will stand up to the billionaire agenda and stand with our immigrant community members against the attacks they have in store.”

Aya, an immigrant who moved to the United States in 2015 — just one year before Trump was elected for the first time — said she joined millions of other people around the world to protest Trump once he was inaugurated in 2017.

She lived in New York at the time and joined over 2,000 other people in a march at JFK International Airport in Queens to protest Trump’s Executive Order 13769, more commonly known as “The Muslim Ban.” ​​

“There’s been a deliberate attempt to paint immigrants as criminals, to paint immigrants as somehow having the power to take away our jobs and our housing,” Aya said. “The same people who are saying this are the ones who are taking away housing and jobs.” 

Another PSL member, who identified himself only as Comrade Jake, said that it is everyone’s responsibility to “stay awake” and stay cognizant of what’s happening until the next election. He admitted doing so would be a struggle, but it would be necessary.

“What does it mean to defend immigrants every single day? It means not speaking to the police. It means defending our neighbors. It means defending our co-workers. It means making safe spaces for our immigrants [and] claiming them as our families,” Jake said. “Because after they come for the immigrants, they will come for each and every one of us. It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must care for each other and protect each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”

Schmitt fears the damage is already done and that over the next four years, Trump will do “irreversible damage” to the United States.

“It doesn’t help that we can’t even feel safe in our homes here in Iowa. Our government has proven they don’t care about us,” Schmitt said. “No wonder so many people are flocking to Illinois or Minnesota.”

The Other Side

Jacob Kaplon, a construction worker from Altoona, Iowa, was ecstatic to wake up to the news of Trump’s reelection. He believes the country is headed in the direction it needs to be.

Kaplon was a lone counter-protestor at the Jan. 25 rally at the Iowa Capitol. Though he was severely outnumbered, he was not bothered.

“The fact of the matter is, America is for Americans. If you’re not American, you don’t belong here,” Kaplon said.

Kaplon mainly stayed silent at the protest and just observed. He admitted to making fun of some of the protesters quietly under his breath. 

“The people here are just misguided,” Kaplon said. “They don’t understand they are defending people who are stealing our jobs, our money, our food, raping our children [and] destroying what it means to be a true-blooded American.” 

Overall, Kaplon is excited for the next four years and thinks Trump will “restore America to what it once was.”

“I hope [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] does their job,” Kaplon said.

When reached for comment on deportation plans, ICE declined to comment.

Community Support

Though the sudden influx of anti-immigration policy may seem daunting, many programs are available to support and defend immigrants. One such program is the Refugee and Immigrant Advocacy and Strategic Taskforce (RIAS), a subdivision of Des Moines’ Human and Civil Rights Commission. 

RIAS is currently focused on three main initiatives: housing assistance, research and development, and community engagement, where they host events and create spaces where immigrant and refugee voices can be heard.

Catalina Samaniego, the chair of RIAS, said that in the days following Trump’s election, they held a statewide meeting to discuss strategies for the future.

“We’re moving forward assuming the worst, and so far, we’ve been proven right. Sanctuary areas have come under attack, and we’ve seen an increase in ICE interactions with legal residents across the state,” Samaniego said.

Given that RIAS is a division of the City of Des Moines, it works efficiently to provide support to the city and the broader community. However, Samaniego did express concern about the state and federal levels going forward.

“I worry about the direction our state is headed. I fear we’re moving away from values that foster empathy and inclusion — values that would naturally create a culture where more people support the work we do,” Samaniego said.

Samaniego said there hasn’t been community backlash against their work, but cultural shifts in politics and the spread of misinformation have been presenting themselves as barriers.

“I’ve never seen any valid data linking higher immigration rates to increased crime, despite the narratives some try to push,” Samaniego said. “Des Moines has thrived because of its long history of embracing immigrant communities. If that were to change, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw negative economic consequences ripple through the region.”

At the end of the day, RIAS exists to provide support and relief for immigrants and refugees. They aren’t “scheming” to harm the city, as Samaniego puts it.

“What we do is simple: we help people. And most of the people we help are the most hardworking, law-abiding and patriotic individuals in Des Moines,” Samaniego said.

Samaniego went on to say that she will continue to gather feedback, report to the city and take on extra projects because she wants it to be clear that those who are struggling deserve help.

“I wish I could sit down with every person who fears or resents what we do and show them the truth,” Samaniego said. “Immigrants and refugees don’t take away from our city, they enhance it. Their contributions don’t erase or minimize those of longtime residents; they add to the beauty and strength of Des Moines. That’s something worth fighting for.”

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