Donald Trump will begin a second term as president on Monday, and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has told two state agency leaders to be ready to help with deportation plans that may be carried out.
Reynolds on Friday sent a letter to the leaders of the state prison system and the Iowa Department of Public Safety to be ready on Day One to “fully cooperate” with federal actions to enforce immigration policy.
The Republican governor’s letter says there could be removal of people in Iowa for whom there is “reasonable suspicion” that they violated federal immigration laws.
The governor says those state officials are to honor any detainer requests from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and to keep people in custody until they are later transferred to a differing agency with authority.
Some states with Democratic leadership have said they plan to resist deportation plans by the Trump administration that they consider to be draconian.
Meanwhile, officials at the Mary J. Treglia House in Sioux City have been busy assisting immigrants without legal status. Yareli Flores is the office manager.
“Anything from getting their green card, applying for citizenship, applying for work permits, asylum, TPS. They are very persistent on what can be done for them and what are their options. They’re scared of what's to come,” Flores said.
Flores says she came illegally to the United States at the age of 2 and returned to Mexico after high school for 18 months to acquire her green card. She’s now a citizen.
The American Immigration Council estimates there are more than 52,000 immigrants without legal status living in Iowa.
A tweet from the governor said, “Today, I sent a memo to @IowaDPS Commissioner Bayens and @IowaCorrections Director Skinner to ensure they are prepared on Day 1 of the @realDonaldTrump administration to support his enforcement of our immigration laws and keep our communities safe.”
*Additionally, the state of Iowa has released K-12 enrollment data showing nearly 28,000 students are using taxpayer-funded education savings accounts, or ESAs.
This year the state is providing around $7,800 dollars for each student to go toward private school tuition.
Private school enrollment is just under 39,400 statewide. That means about 70 percent of private school students are using ESAs.
There is still an income limit on the program. That will lift next year, making the funding available to all private school students.
Enrollment at Iowa public schools declined by six-tenths of a percent to just under 480,700 students in this 2024-25 year.
Certified enrollment at Iowa accredited nonpublic schools was 39,356, up by more than 3,100 students from the 36,195 amount of last year.
State enrollment projections from May 2022, prior to the passing of the Students First Education Savings Account (ESA) program, predicted a downward trend in public school enrollment through at least 2027.
*In other news, on the heels of an arrest in a 40-year-old cold case concerning the death of a Native woman, Omaha Tribe of Nebraska leaders are encouraging law enforcement officials to work hard to solve others.
Thomas Duane Popp was arrested on January 11 for the death of 18-year-old Terri McCauley in 1983. She was a member of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska who at the time was last seen getting into a vehicle. Her body was found in a wooded area several days later.
A grand jury in Woodbury County indicted Popp on a charge of first-degree murder.
In a Friday press conference in Sioux City at the Great Plains Action Society office, Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Councilman Galen Aldrich said he was glad to see the arrest of Popp. Alrdrich said many tribal people are supporting the McCauley family.
He cited some other tribal members who are missing, and said his own daughter, Ashlea, was lost in 2020 as one of the thousands of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives.
“There is hope and courage for our MMIR families to continue their fight for justice,” Aldrich said.
*Additionally, a period of rising gas prices has continued in Siouxland, with the price moving up for the fourth time in the last five weeks.
The weekly release by AAA shows the price in Iowa went up by 3 cents per gallon for unleaded self-serve gasoline to reach $2.94.
As of December 17, the price was $2.74 cents, and the weekly price had only risen twice in the prior 17 weeks dating back to August.
Since that time, Iowa weekly gas prices have risen in four of the last five weeks, with the largest weekly increase being 15 cents the first week of January.
According to AAA, the statewide average price of $2.94 is 16 cents more than a year ago at this time, and the current national average is $3.07.
Many Siouxland stations are currently selling unleaded in the range from $2.74 to $2.95.
