Decorah, IA – After months of organizing by immigrant rights advocates and community members, the Decorah Human Rights Commission voted July 7 to advance a proposed separation ordinance to the Decorah City Council, marking a significant step forward for local efforts to protect immigrants and challenge collaboration with federal immigration enforcement.

The 3-2 vote came after an emotional discussion in which commissioners wrestled with questions of legality, community safety and the commission’s responsibility to defend human rights in an increasingly hostile political climate.

The proposed ordinance, developed by community advocates, seeks to establish policies governing local interactions with federal immigration authorities and has become a focal point for concerns about immigration enforcement in northeast Iowa.

Several commissioners spoke candidly about the fear and uncertainty immigrant families are experiencing.

Commission Chair Nikki Battle described the issue as deeply personal, saying concerns about racial profiling had affected their own family. The commissioner said they feared people could be targeted simply because they are “perceived not to belong,” and, “Morally, what I think is happening in this country is repugnant,” she said.

Commissioners also debated whether advancing the ordinance could bring additional attention to Decorah and potentially expose vulnerable residents to greater risk. “My biggest concern is the safety of the people that we’re trying to protect,” one commissioner said, “We are the Human Rights Commission,” said Battle, arguing that elected officials should ultimately address legal questions while the commission focuses on the human impact of government policies.

The discussion highlighted the difficult position facing local governments as federal immigration enforcement intensifies and immigrant communities seek assurances that local institutions will stand with them.

Commissioners reviewed several provisions of the ordinance and discussed conversations with local officials regarding what protections and policies could be implemented immediately. Among the ideas discussed were distributing multilingual “know your rights” materials, increasing transparency and oversight, and providing additional resources to community members navigating encounters with law enforcement.

After debate, the commission voted on whether to forward the ordinance to the city council.

Initially, commissioners believed the motion had failed. Following the vote, members stated that four votes would be required for approval and announced that the measure had not passed.

However, City Manager Travis Goedken later informed the commission that city code allows action to be approved by a majority of members present. “You guys have your own rule in city code that says a majority of those present can actually approve a vote,” Goedken told the commission.

The clarification meant the 3-2 vote was sufficient for passage, allowing the ordinance to move forward to the Decorah City Council.

The development was met with visible emotion from many attendees.

One audience member responded by drawing parallels to historic struggles for voting rights and civil rights, arguing that unjust laws have often been challenged through organized action and public pressure.

The commission then turned its attention to next steps, such as voting to contact community organizations and conduct a needs assessment to identify ways it can support immigrant residents and advocacy efforts.

Several commissioners emphasized that the vote to advance the ordinance should not be viewed as the end of the process. “Our work is not done,” one commissioner said.

The ordinance will now move to the Decorah City Council, where elected officials will decide whether to take up the proposal.

For immigrant rights advocates and community members who have spent months raising concerns about immigration enforcement and its impact on local families, the commission’s vote represents an important victory and ensures that the issue will receive further public consideration.

After the meeting, Brittany Berg, a member of Decorah Community for Immigrant Rights (DCIR), described the vote as the result of sustained grassroots organizing, “The Decorah Community for Immigrant Rights has been building the movement toward a separation ordinance for over a year now, In its earliest stages, we were met with staunch denial, then some shuffling, then stalling.”

Berg said ordinance supporters intensified their efforts by speaking directly to the Human Rights Commission and building public support for the proposal.

“After last month's forum, it was made clear that, one, the ordinance has large community support, and two, the Human Rights Commission has a responsibility to recommend it to city council,” Berg stated.

Berg called the commission's action “a victory of collective effort of a grassroots movement” and emphasized that supporters intend to remain involved as the ordinance moves to the next stage of the process. “The recommendation to city council to review the ordinance is absolutely crucial,” a DCIR member said. “The fight most certainly does not stop now, as we move forward to work together with both the Human Rights Commission and city council. We will persist in our efforts to make Decorah safer and welcoming to all.”

The ordinance will now move to the Decorah City Council.

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