Changes at the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement are leaving some immigrants in Iowa confused and scared — and inconvenienced. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says a staff shortage in Des Moines has left Cedar Rapids as the only place in the state where immigrants who face deportation need to regularly check in, but not everyone’s gotten the word. Grassley says it’s “just a big screw up by the immigration service, the left hand not knowing what the right hand’s doing.” Dozens of immigrants who went to the Des Moines office to check in recently were told to go to Cedar Rapids, and some report they were treated rudely. Grassley says that’s inexcusable.Grassley says personnel in the Des Moines office need to “treat these people with good customer service and make these people feel like we’re really concerned about ’em instead of lack of concern.” Officials with the Des Moines office say candidates are being chosen to fill vacancies but it may still be some time before they’re on the job. Until then, immigrants will need to make the trip to Cedar Rapids for their required check-ins.
