DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) — About 40 Clarke University students held a protest in Dubuque on Thursday, calling on the federal government to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Immigrant justice is not a trend. It is not political theatre. It is about human dignity,” said Clarke University junior Emma Shea-Wopinek. “Justice for immigrants is justice for all.”
Auriana Villanueva, another Clarke junior, is from El Paso, Texas. Villanueva worked with Shea-Wopinek to organize the march along Clarke Drive and West Locust Street on Thursday after witnessing families separated by immigration enforcement.
“I just couldn’t take it anymore. When I came back, I had to do something about it,” Villanueva said. “There’s videos going around of ICE enforcement going into workplaces and it’s just a lot.”
Villanueva said the protest aimed to give students a space to talk about and raise awareness of the impact of immigration enforcement.
El Paso native Kayley Crain, a Clarke University student, said she feared border agents had detained her mother last September.
Crain said she lost contact with her mother for weeks. Crain’s mother, who was born in Juárez, Mexico, was expected to come home from a funeral in Mexico.
“That was really scary,” said Crain. “I’m trying to build a future that my mom couldn’t build for herself, but it was hard to focus on that future when my mom, and the reason why I’m here, is stuck somewhere.”
Three weeks later, Crain said she received a message from her mother.
“I got a text saying, ‘I’m home mija. Call me,’” Crain said.
Crain’s mother was held at the border for weeks but was not detained. Crain said not every family gets that resolution.
“Not every family gets that text. Many families in Hispanic communities right now don’t know the next time they’ll hear or see from a family member again,” Crain said.
Shea-Wopinek called for a reduction in federal funding for ICE.
“Defund ICE. I don’t think there’s any reason to give them any more money or any more support than they unfortunately already have. They’re just ripping families apart,” Shea-Wopinek said.
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