Des Moines, Iowa (AP) – An organization for immigrant rights in Iowa rejects the demands of a legislator to hand over private details about customers, donors and members of the non -profit organization and call them intimidation of civil servants who are involved in a national approach to immigration.
The guideline of February 24 was sent to the migrant movement for judiciary in Iowa by the chairman of the Supervisory Board of State House Government, Rep. Charley Thomson.
A lawyer of Iowa MMJ refused to meet the full committee in a answer on April 18 and said that there was no statutory request and suggests that the letter raises solemn concerns about process abuse.
The founding director of the organization, Erica Johnson, wrote last week to the members in which he described what happened, “as a reminder that we have all rights, we have the back of the other and we will not be silent or intimidated by threats”.
The Associated Press checked copies of the guideline and the answer to the organization. Thomson refused to comment on the specific questions of the AP via e -mail or to respond to the specific questions.
The committee, who is lived in the razor,, Rep. Elinor Levin, said that she knows about 10 companies, both private and public, who have received instructions for providing information. No other company works directly with migrants, immigrants or refugee communities, said Levin; Some are educational institutions.
Levin said the letter was intimidating, stressful and possibly beyond the committee’s powers.
“For me, this is not the highest priority for our government supervisory committee,” said Levin, “especially at a moment when our refugee and migrant communities are in crisis and the services provided by these organizations are absolutely important.”
Involving groups feel intimidated
The request for private details from Iowa MMJ came when the government of President Donald Trump pursued a campaign to strengthen and expand the immigration authorities, and the Republican governors offered their full cooperation, which led to fear among immigrant communities.
The organization had been in the Statehouse to protest and to speak to the legislators about proposals for legislation. A legislation would have obliged the local law enforcement authorities to work directly with the United States immigration and customs authority.
Johnson said the letter was in the middle of attacks by “from the charts” to non-profit organizations and those who work in immigration and legal services.
“It seems like we’re saying every day:” Oh my god, how could it get worse? “, Said Johnson,” and then it does. “
Johnson said that the organization who knows its rights does not comply with and speaks out despite the risks.
Since the federal immigration officers have requested that the federal government illegally enforce a register of people in the United States, it is not clear whether similar inquiries from immigration organizations throughout the country or what legislators would do with the information.
The government supervisory committee
The guideline quotes a chapter of the IOWA law that defines the powers of legislative committees, including the implementation of “incoming studies of state affairs”. With the consent of the entire chamber, committees can also initiate investigations with the authority to issue pretending for information or witnesses.
A spokesman for the Republicans of the Iowa House refused to answer questions about the task of the government committee. The house has not passed a resolution in which an investigation was approved.
Although Thomson’s letter does not give a specific request, it is said that Iowa MMJ has material “that is relevant for the examination of the committee” and the organization instructed all relevant evidence. If this is not the case, this could lead to solemn consequences, including fines or potential criminal liability.
The guideline also says Iowa MMJ, “not to discuss or to notify a person or a company that have been instructed to provide this information.”
Levin said she did not believe that the chairman of the committee can enact such a gag command and that she can call it a “aggressive tactic” to try to frighten people.
Goals on a non -profit organization
Thomson’s guideline calls on iowa MMJ to list the legal services they provide, by whom and whom and the names and addresses of donors and members.
The tax-friendly non-profit organization is obliged to submit annual disclosure to the IOWA Foreign Minister.
In general, non -profit organizations are “not obliged to make all their information public,” said Paul Thelan, director of a non -profit resource center at the University of Iowa College of Law. In most states, the supervision or investigation into credible allegations of fraud falls to the Attorney General, said Thelan.
“Think about schools, hospitals or organizations for legal services that share the names of students, patients or customers,” he wrote in an e -mail. “To make this information public would possibly violate law and professional expectations of confidentiality and privacy.”
Iowa migrant movement for justice
Iowa MMJ was founded in 2020 and describes itself as a “nationwide, membership and interest representation organization”, led by immigrants, refugees and their allies. It advertises with legal clinics in the Moines, Cedar Rapids and Storm Lake as well as in several other communities with a huge population with immigrants.
The organization also sued the state because of the immigration law issued last year, which would make a state crime for a person to be in Iowa if they are illegal in the United States.
IRS submissions for the tax-friendly organization show that it has received 2022 contributions of more than 900,000 USD.
According to Iowa MMJ, it also receives around 7% of its budget from a victim support distributed by the public prosecutor’s office, which was distributed by the General Prosecutor’s office, and remains complied with through his reporting requirements.
“We don’t understand what the basis of the letter is,” said Johnson. “Why do you think that you are responsible to tell a private non -profit organization that you should hand over all this information? As far as we can judge it, don’t do it.”
