Maria Gonzalez was high school student when a neighbor called. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement was conducting a raid at the meat packer her mom worked at. The neighbor said her mom, an undocumented immigrant, got caught in the roundup.
“It hit me. Oh my God. How do I protect my mom?’ "Gonzalez said. “I kind of just froze. And I remember turning to look at my brother who is two years younger than me and saying, ‘I think they’re going to deport mom.’ ”
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith talks with Gonzalez and Maria Acosta, two migrant organizers in Iowa about what he road looks like under President Donald Trump’s executive orders.
Iowa Starting Line’s community editor Amie Rivers and reproductive rights reporter Nikoel Hytrek join to talk about a move to remove requirements for blood lead level tests for Iowa children and the renewed interest in Baby Olvia.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. For more, check out its roundup of local writers.
Resources:
Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice is encouraging folks to learn their rights. They are also maintaining a hotline for reporting ICE enforcement actions: 515-505-8805
Links:
1st Story - IA Republicans advance bill to make schools teach that life begins at conception. (Iowa Starting Line)
2nd Story - Iowa lawmakers advance proposals affecting homeschooling. (The Gazette)
3rd Story - Vandals deface two Muscatine restaurants with swastikas; owners stand firm: ‘We do not know fear.’ (Little Village)
Guests:
Baby Olivia is a fictional character based on bad science.
Maria Gonzalez of Marshalltown is an organizer with Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice.
Maria Acosta of Des Moines is an organizer with Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice.
Bonus:
During the interview with the Marias, Gonzalez’s dog kept trying to join the conversation. So for the first time, this is Delilah. She’s a part-demon mix.
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