The 50 is a four-year multimedia initiative led by The Fulcrum, traveling to communities in every state to uncover what motivated Americans to vote in the 2024 presidential election. Through in-depth storytelling, the project examines how the Donald Trump administration is responding to those hopes and concerns—and highlights civic-focused organizations that inform, educate, and empower the public to take action.
Iowa, nestled in the heart of the Midwest, is a state where rolling farmland meets vibrant towns, and where civic engagement runs deep—from small-town school boards to presidential caucuses.
Known for its rich agricultural roots, the Hawkeye State is also evolving. Urban centers like Des Moines and Iowa City are growing more diverse, bringing new voices and fresh energy to the state’s traditions.
Donald Trump carried the state decisively in the 2024 presidential election, winning all six electoral votes, defeating Kamala Harris by more than 13 percentage points—the largest margin in Iowa since 1972.
Two grassroots organizations—Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (Iowa MMJ) and One Human Family QCA—are forging powerful paths toward immigrant justice and community solidarity. Though based in different parts of the state, both groups share a mission: to protect human dignity, resist hate, and empower marginalized communities through advocacy, education, and legal support.
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Iowa MMJ, headquartered in Des Moines, is a statewide, membership-based legal and advocacy organization that provides free or low-cost legal services to immigrants across the state. Their offerings include assistance with asylum applications, DACA renewals, family-based petitions, and deportation defense.
Leaders within the organization underscored the growing climate of fear caused by the Trump administration’s aggressive stance toward immigrant communities.
"This administration is not just attacking undocumented immigrants. It seems to be going after any sort of immigration," said Maria Gonzalez, Community Organizer with Iowa MMJ.
"The reality is that ICE is in Iowa, but the tactics that they're using, the level which they're in our community, the fear that they have, the weaponized fear that they are able to utilize...it's all things that we are continuing to work with our communities right now," said Elena Casillas Hoffman, Communication Specialists with Iowa MMJ.
Beyond legal aid, Iowa MMJ is a vocal advocate for systemic change. Their campaigns emphasize that “migration is a human right” and that “we all belong.” They offer “Know Your Rights” trainings in English and Spanish, operate an ICE activity hotline, and promote community defense strategies that center trauma-informed care and collective action.
In the Quad Cities, One Human Family QCA works to combat hate and promote inclusion through public education, interfaith collaboration, and civic engagement. Founded in 2017 and based in Davenport, the organization is known for its bold billboard campaigns, school advocacy, and rapid response to hate incidents. Co-founder Pastor Rich Hendricks, OHF QCA, encourages residents to “lead with love” and provides resources for reporting discrimination, supporting immigrant families, and building inclusive coalitions.
"People are afraid to come to worship services," said Hendricks. "We have had ICE outside one of our members, Margie Mejia Caraballo, (at) her Spanish Mennonite Church. They (ICE agents) literally just sat in the parking lot of the church, just to intimidate its members."
Together, these organizations represent a growing civic movement in Iowa—one that blends legal defense with public witness, and policy advocacy with grassroots compassion. As immigration enforcement intensifies and political rhetoric sharpens, Iowa MMJ and One Human Family QCA remind the nation that justice begins in community.
One Human Family QCA, Co-founder Rabbi Henry Jay Karp said, "We have to stop just focusing on the hate that's just that's directed at our particular identity group and focus on the hate that's directed at any identity group and stand together."
Watch the first eleven episodes by clicking HERE.
Hugo Balta is the executive editor of the Fulcrum. He is also the publisher of the Latino News Network.
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