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Group Asks Senators to Intervene in ICE Arrest of Mother of Infant

Clay Masters
/
Iowa Public Radio

A group of community members from Des Moines is asking Iowa’s U.S. senators to let a woman in Iowa arrested by Immigration Customs and Enforcement officials be reunited with her 4-month-old son.  

Liliana Cruz-Lopez was picked up on her way to work on July 26th. She’s charged with reentering the United States. Her infant son is currently with extended family. The group of 14 is requesting the senators intervene and ask ICE to reconsider a “stay of removal” so Cruz-Lopez can manage her case outside detention and be with her infant. Luis Orellana was one of the community members in the group that also met with Senator Chuck Grassley’s state director. Orellana says the senators should show humane kindness.

“That is something you don’t do to a human being that is something you hear bad people do to animals,” Orellana says.  “The kid needs his mom.”

A privacy release form was given to the group for the family to fill out. A spokeswoman for Sen. Ernst’s office says that form must be completed in order to look into the case.

The group also made the request to Gov. Kim Reynolds and 3rd District Congressman David Young’s offices. 

Clay Masters is the senior politics reporter for MPR News.