Know Your Rights Workshop, Iowa City
by Pastor Gloria Villatoro (Iglesia Menonita Torre Fuerte)
and Pastor Karla Stoltzfus Detweiler (First Mennonite Church)

On May 28, 2011, human rights activists, members of the Johnson County Consultation of Religious Communities, lawyers, representatives of service agencies, Hispanic immigrant families, and a handful of Mennonites found themselves together in a fairground pavilion in Iowa City. What brought these folks together?  A common vision for a safe, peaceful community where  immigrants and native-born people live together, free from fear and free to offer their gifts for the greater good.

Pastors and laypeople from Iglesia Menonita Torre Fuerte and First Mennonite Church partnered with the Sanctuary City Committee of Iowa City to plan and carry out a “Know Your Rights” workshop. A Peace, Justice and Service grant from the Central Plains helped to fund the event, where approximately 120 adults and children gathered to learn about immigrant and labor rights, and to enjoy games, food and fellowship.
Volunteers from the two Mennonite Churches led children in activities and served delicious nachos donated by area restaurants while adults heard from Bernardo Ortiz, a Labor Rights Activist from Des Moines, and Lázara Pittman, an immigration lawyer.  Sr. Ortiz addressed issues of injustice that so many undocumented workers face. He gave pointers about what to do when wages are withheld, when you are injured on the job, and where to file complaints about discrimination. He urged immigrants who are citizens to exercise their right to vote, and called for all immigrants regardless of status to leave behind their differences and work together to seek their common well-being.

Sra. Pittman and her assistant Laura Raya shed some light on the convoluted and often misunderstood maze of immigration law. Before an eager and engaged audience, they discussed who is eligible to apply for legal status and how to get the process started; how to answer police if you are arrested or detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials; the importance of not using a false identity; and the importance of having a good lawyer to represent you. They fielded many questions from attendees who live in fear of police and ICE officials as they long for a clear and financially accessible path to legal status for themselves and their loved ones.
The chairwoman of the Iowa City Human Rights Commission also spoke, explaining the Sanctuary City initiative and inviting immigrants to share stories of their treatment in Iowa City. The Sanctuary City initiative is a collaborative effort of the Consultation of Religious Communities of Iowa City and the Human Rights Commission, calling for a resolution that would protect immigrants from undue investigation of their legal status while receiving city services.

Participants were also invited to gather information about domestic violence, GED programs, English classes, insurance, and other community services from tables set up around the room.
Participants expressed gratitude for the information they received. One participant faced an arrest the week after the workshop, and said that he knew how to respond to ICE officials because of the workshop. From his detainment cell, he contacted Lázara Pittman to get legal advice. He was detained for half a day and then released while ICE continues to process his case.

Pastors from another Hispanic church in the community attended and passed on information on to their congregation. When one member of their church was detained, and the pastors were able to guide her regarding what information to share or withhold, and helped her contact a lawyer. She was released and now is in the process of seeking a work permit, and eventually, legal status as a permanent resident.