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The latest episode of our podcast, “A is for America”, features two interviews — one with Rev. Trey Hegar of the First Presbyterian Church, who is the pastor coordinating the crisis response to this week’s immigration raid in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; and one with Tarsicio (Tar) Macias, founder of the Latino newspaper Hola Iowa, who spoke with us about the community response to both the Mt. Pleasant and Postville, Iowa raids.
This week, the Trump Administration codified its new practice of separating parents and children at the border, which advocates and commentators slammed. DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen almost resigned after a Trump tirade, while White House chief of staff John Kelly let out his inner Steve King by claiming that most undocumented immigrants are unskilled and unable to assimilate. A number of House Republicans are making a token effort to get the Dream Act passed, but this effort is unlikely to succeed unless Paul Ryan starts keeping some of his promises on immigration. Finally, two sheriffs in North Carolina were primaried out of office on Tuesday after being too supportive of 287(g) and working with ICE.
Today is the 10th anniversary of the Postville, Iowa raid, which is still one of the biggest workplace immigration raids in our country’s history. Our Political Director, Matt Hildreth, traveled to Postville, as well as to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where another immigration raid happened just this week. Matt’s interview with Rev. Hegar begins at 14:20, and the interview with Tar Macias begins at 25:05. Listeners who want to learn more about Postville should watch Abused, a documentary which is streaming for free this week.
“A is for America” is a podcast which tells stories from the front lines of a changing America. Each week, we’ll be talking to advocates and experts working in immigration reform, immigrants’ rights, immigration politics, and the forefront of what it means to be a new American. Tune in next week for more.
