IOWA CITY Iowa (KCRG) - Four people have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Iowa following a major federal funding increase for the agency.According to Escucha Mi Voz, all four people are being held at the Linn County Jail on an ICE detainer. The detentions come as Congress approved a $70 billion increase in funding for ICE and Border Patrol on June 9.All information was provided by immigrant advocacy group Escucha Mi Voz.Ozgur Demirkan, Iowa CityOn June 25, ICE agents detained 30 year-old Ozgur Demirkan, in his Iowa City apartment. Demirkan, a Turkish national and former Kirkwood Community College student, has lived in Iowa since 2018 on a student visa. Demirkan returned to the United States in 2022 during the conflict between Turkey and Ukraine and has remained since.Escucha Mi Voz shared more information on its facebook page. Cedar Rapids resident Caitlyn Domino, organizer of Demirkan’s GoFundMe campaign, said he fears military enlistment if he returns to Turkey.“Ozgur has worked hard to build trust in his community in Iowa City. He is smart, has a good heart, and wants to continue studying medicine. He does not want to go back to his country to fight in wars he does not believe in,” said Domino.Rozenna Nazia Ali, Butler CountyOn June 17, ICE detained Rozenna Nazia Ali, from Fiji, after agents went to her residence and later located her at a motel in Allison, Iowa. Ali was formerly an international student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and later worked at Allison Bible Church in Butler County on a student visa.According to her family, the Alis are a missionary family who have been in the United States since 2017 so Rozenna and her sister Sharon could pursue higher education.Ali has no criminal record in Iowa.“Rozenna is kind, caring, hardworking, and always tries her best in everything she does, especially to serve other people. She hopes to become a mental health counsellor to serve others who have suffered through traumatic events. She has no criminal history and there are no charges against her for her to be detained,” said Sharon Ali, Rozenna’s sister and organizer of the family’s GoFundMe campaign.Jose Alejandro Cocmaxsolovid and Jose Luis Mejia Lopez, WaterlooOn June 8, ICE detained Jose Alejandro Cocmaxsolovid and Jose Luis Mejia Lopez, both Guatemalan nationals, at their place of work and place of residence in Waterloo.Escucha Mi Voz Response“These enforcement actions show that ICE is increasingly targeting immigrants with strong community ties, including former international students, workers, and longtime Iowa residents,” said Escucha Mi Voz member Rogelio Lagunas. “The workers being detained are not dangerous criminals. They are our neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and church members, and our communities will not stand by while families are torn apart.”KCRG has reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment. Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.