How I Met Maudin at the county jail

Me, Maudin, and Oliver

I had just parked my car for a meeting on affordable housing yesterday, when I got a text from leadership at Escucha Mi Voz (EMV). There was an immigrant in our county jail with an ICE detainer--a written request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement asking a local jail, prison, or state law enforcement agency to hold an individual for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release date.

On September 14th, this individual had a court order discharging him, meaning that ICE had until September 16th to pick him up, otherwise he would be released. And yet, he remained in the jail through the rest of last week and into the weekend. The court ordered him to be released a second time--on September 21st (Monday)--but the Sheriff's office was not complying.

I called Sheriff Kunkel to ask him about it, but he didn't pick up. I left a message describing the situation and asked that he call me back.

My main concern was that this person was being held at the jail days past their legal jail time and was further vulnerable to being picked up by ICE. I figured I would go to the jail and see if the Sheriff was there or if I could talk with someone about this situation. I arrived at the jail and inquired about Maudin. As I was waiting, I was joined by EMV leadership and Iowa City City Council member Oliver Weilen. We were told that Maudin had been approved for release, and that discharge would take about 30 minutes. We decided to wait.

I don't know what it's like to be in jail for weeks on end and not know when I will be released. I don't know what it's like to be an undocumented person in this country. I don't know what it's like to flee a country of origin.

But I do know that these laws ask us to act against our humanity. I know that a carceral system is like a cancer and we have been duped into thinking that the remedy is to keep investing and buying medicine that doesn't work.

Building a jail 4x bigger is going to increase capacity for more Maudins, more people who are immigrants that get caught in a system only meant to extract their labor and lives while dominating them into submission. And we will have a much harder time doing the humane work of helping.

Please join me in voting No on the New Jail and Sheriff's Office

If you didn't hear- I have a Republican challenger.

Republican Wanda Foster is running for the District 4 seat on the Board of Supervisors. Stay tuned for more information about forums and events.

Three with V:

1. I am looking to raise $2,000 in the next two weeks to get our campaign funds back up and pushing out literature and supplies for events. Please DONATE what you can to help me reach this goal!!
   

2. The League of Women Voters has come out and supported the Jail and Sheriff's Office bond referendum. They are also putting on a forum next Wednesday night at 7pm that includes the Sheriff and County Attorney. This originally included a community member as an independent third party, but that person has backed out. I reached out to the organizers and asked if Mandi or I could be on the panel to balance out the perspectives but I was told that we were not invited because we are on the ballot in November. This is terribly disappointing and inconsistent; the County Attorney is also on the ballot in November.

   
   

   I put this here as a calling in- If you know members of the LWV and are concerned about the forum, please urge them to reconsider. Any forum on the jail bond should include a number of voices--not simply those in power. I will be in attendance and hope to see you there, too!
   

3. I am fully supporting the Johnson County Deserves Better Campaign. I urge you to join me! Here is the link to sign up for events, doorknocking, order signs, etc.

I am truly humbled by our community and the ways we continue to show up for each other!

I will be at Deluxe Bakery this Friday, September 25th from 8-9am. I hope to see you there!!