Iowa WINs given state award for their support of families after 2018 immigration arrests

Iowa Welcomes its Immigrant Neighbors was awarded the Don Hampton Award for group volunteer disaster assistance by the Iowa Disaster Human Resource Council for their support of families of men detained in the Immigration Customs Enforcement arrests on May 9, 2019.

Iowa Welcomes its Immigrant Neighbors (Iowa WINs), a commission of First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Pleasant, was recognized for their work on April 18, in Des Moines.

Following the immigration arrests last year, Iowa WINs generated nearly $150,000 in community support and leveraged more than 100 volunteers to tackle issues such as transportation, language barriers, finances, food, school support, counseling and more to support affected families.

Trey Hegar, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, said the award was a surprise.

'It's encouraging to know other people are looking and seeing how we share the love of God with our neighbors,” Hegar said. 'Part of the other encouraging part of being recognized is that this isn't necessarily the most popular thing to be doing and to be recognized for doing it still is uplifting.”

'We worked really hard over the last year. That collaboration and volunteerism is being recognized for making a difference in what was a disaster for our community,” said Tammy Shull, with Iowa WINs.

The Don Hampton Award is named in memory of Don Hampton, who was a longtime member of the Iowa Disaster Human Resource Council and served on its board of directors. It was presented by the Iowa director of Homeland Security, Joyce Flinn. The award is sponsored by Homeland Security in Iowa.

'To me, that was nice because it showed that they have compassion and care for people receiving relief across Iowa,” Hegar said. 'While it was somewhat ironic, it was also touching. They have a job to do. They're just like everyone else. It comes down to relationships. When you meet people and find some common ground, it changes how you feel about each other.”

Rebecca Blair, a Presbyterian church official who helped nominate Iowa WINs, write in her nomination letter that First Presbyterian Church became 'Grand Central Station” for supporting the men and their families affected by the raid.

'Iowa WINs is truly making an enormous contribution to and a significant impact on the well-being of immigrants across Iowa,” Blair said.

Greg Smith, president of Iowa Disaster Human Resource Council, also nominated Iowa WINs for the Don Hampton Award.

'Iowa WINs has a strong believe in welcoming outsiders who come into their community,” Smith said. 'They believe the community is enriched by doing this. They're doing amazing things in this little community to heighten sensitivity (around immigration). Rather than it being a divisive issue, it has become a unifying issue.

'They represent best practice for how to organize a community before a disaster, so when a disaster actually hits they can be ready for it,” Smith said.

Immigration arrests

Iowa WINs sprung to action on May 9, 2018, after 32 men were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at their place of employment at Midwest Precast concrete in Mt. Pleasant.

Iowa WINs has helped the impacted families with emotional, financial and legal support. Volunteers meet weekly at the First Presbyterian Church, where a food pantry has been established. ESL tutors meet with several families during the week. Financial assistance has been made available through generous donations and grants.

'There has been so many people involved since May 9, helping out in different ways and being supportive,” Shull said. 'This is all about volunteer effort and working for the good of our community.”

Iowa WINs was established in 2015, when they initially thought they would assist Syrian refugees. While at the time there wasn't an immediate need to help refugees resettle in the U.S., Shull said they began developing relationships within the community and across the state and learned a lot about the immigration and asylum progress.

Shull said Iowa WINs never thought they would be assisting families after immigration arrests.

'Even when the raid hit, we never imagined how large the response was going to need to be and how long it continues to be needed,” Shull said.

One year later

Today, 24 of the men who were arrested are awaiting immigration hearings that are scheduled throughout 2019 and 2020. Seven men were deported, and one man remains in custody at the Hardin County Jail.

'We're really concerned about the last man who was reported,” Shull said. 'After he returned to his family home (in Honduras), some men came looking for him, and they attacked his family.”

Shull said he was able to get away, and has since been able to call his wife; however, he remains in hiding. His wife and two children in elementary school remain in Mt. Pleasant.

'We had a big scare,” Hegar said. 'You get a palpable sense of if we had let him complete the asylum process, his life wouldn't have been in danger.”

Iowa WINs is looking at moving forward with a sustainable ministry project. The commission is looking into the feasibility of purchasing and maintaining a food truck, which would create some jobs for immigrants and their families.

Hegar said they are pretty close to making a decision on the food truck.

'(It) would be a sustainable ministry that would create jobs,” Hegar said. 'It would create a job for a manager position and a couple helpers, and we wouldn't have to rely as heavily on grants and donations.”

Iowa WINs is also partnering with the Fellowship Cup's Community Garden and Master Gardeners, who gave Iowa WINs a $250 grant. Master Gardeners will help families learn how to grow their own produce, some of which will be donated to the food pantry.

Hegar said that over the past year, the church has changed relationally. Those who met families affected by the immigration arrests and heard their stories had changed hearts.

'Their hearts get broken by some of the families,” Hegar said. 'There was a young woman learning ESL (at the church) who faced horrible atrocities in her previous life. No one in their right mind would want her to go back and live in that type of fear again.

'It helps you realize these stories are real,” Hegar continued. 'They're not just cookie-cutter stories people are making up. Some of these friends we've made have seen some horrific things and that changes how you feel about black and white issues.”

On Easter Sunday, April 21, First Presbyterian Church had their first all-Spanish service. Twenty-five people were in attendance, and they are considering having a Spanish service once a month in addition to their regularly scheduled service.

Hegar said he wishes he could say everyone in the community is on the same page about immigration issues, but they're not. Part of the work Iowa WINs is doing is going around and meeting with other community leaders to have conversations about the affects of immigration.

Volunteers, donations needed

For those who would like to volunteer with Iowa WINs, needs are ongoing. Immigrant families primary breadwinners have either been deported or are waiting for their work permits, Hegar said. Even applying for a work permit costs between $750 and $2,000.

Shull said the food pantry at First Presbyterian Church is always in need of contributions. Most often needed items are cooking oil, bottled water, dried beans, corn tortillas, canned fruit, laundry detergent, dish soap, shampoo, toothpaste, bar soap, paper towels. toilet paper, sugar, brown sugar, salt and plain pasta.

As Iowa WINs approaches one year since the raid, they are planning some activities for the families. There will be a prayer vigil on Sunday, May 5, at 4 p.m. St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.

The next regular Iowa WINs meeting will be on Thursday, May 9, at 5:30 p.m., where they will spend time remembering everything that has happened over the past year, celebrating the successes and providing support to families as they continue to work through the immigration process, Shull said.

On Friday, May 10, Divine Star Charities, in Fairfield, will be hosting third luncheon for Iowa WINS. They will prepare a gourmet Indian meal, with proceeds going toward Iowa WINs.

While volunteers with Iowa WINs are passionate about assisting immigrant families, Hegar said every person has a different calling. He encouraged people to not just give praise or criticize Iowa WINs for their work, but to go and do something themselves.

'Iowa WINs is only one group and they can only do so much,” Hegar said. 'I would encourage other groups to do something they feel passionate about whether veterans, addiction, pregnancy or any other issue.

'As people of faith, one of the things we believe is we're supposed to serve the marginalized,” Hegar continued. 'There are so many people who have so many needs in our community.”