(July 27, 2025) Executive orders. Big something bills. Federal employees leaving en masse. It feels constant. It can feel far away. But it’s going to get real for Iowans—when a rural hospital closes, when a storm hits without warning, when kids return to schools less prepared, when farmers can’t get what was promised, when the water turns more unsafe, when law enforcement calls and the DOJ doesn’t answer.
This is about our communities—who gets help, who gets left behind, and who gets sent away. Iowans value community and safety. When those values aren’t reflected in our government’s priorities, it’s time to bring the whole conversation back home, so all Iowans know… What’s happening across Iowa.
During a resurgent measles outbreak, the Department of Health and Human Services eliminated 10,000 positions. Thousands more voluntarily departed from key agencies like the CDC. Congress passed legislation cutting $11 billion in support, including for rural Iowa where half of all births are covered by Medicaid. Rural hospitals in Iowa are now considered at risk of closure. Iowa Hospital Association President Chris Mitchell warned: “Hospitals will either reduce services or staff… and when those services go away… it doesn’t matter what kind of insurance you have.” (InsuranceNewsNet, July 2, 2025)
The Department of Education announced a 50 percent staffing reduction—through layoffs, and voluntary departures. That includes many of the staff overseeing school performance and compliance. That’s how we know if schools are preparing Iowa kids for the future.
One of the hardest recent hits came when AmeriCorps funding was abruptly terminated. Iowa lost more than 245 members. They tutored, mentored, and supported students in schools all over the state. “It was dehumanizing,” said site supervisor Levi Wood. (KCCI, July 6, 2025)
Members lost both their jobs and scholarships. Students and schools lost adults committed to building strong Iowa schools. At the same time, federal staffing cuts have also left fewer eyes on protections for students with disabilities. In Iowa, more than 85,000 students rely on special education.
The National Weather Service is also facing cuts, raising concerns about storm warnings across Iowa’s tornado-prone counties. FEMA lost nearly 30 percent of its workforce. Iowa counties already report delays in grants and emergency planning. In Story County, Emergency Manager Melissa Spencer said: “Grant funding plays a critical role in preparedness… especially training and exercises.” (KCCI, July 10, 2025)
In Polk County, Dutch Geisinger said his team is “holding off on planning” while awaiting clarity from D.C. (KCCI, July 10, 2025)
Iowans are being asked to prepare for disasters with fewer tools, less warning time, and fewer supports if they need help.
Thousands of USDA staff accepted voluntary buyouts this year, including many serving Iowa counties. More cuts are looming—including a projected $7 billion reduction to programs that support family farms and conservation. Clarinda farmer Seth Watkins warned: “I don’t want to see us be… a penny wise and a pound foolish.” (Iowa Capital Dispatch, July 17, 2025)
In Linn County, Anna Pesek of Over the Moon Farm shared how difficult it is for beginning farmers to navigate federal programs without trained local staff. These aren’t handouts. They’re tools for stability, stewardship, and feeding ourselves and our neighbors—a point of pride for Iowans.
In July, the EPA eliminated its entire Office of Research and Development and cut 3,700 jobs. That means fewer inspections—for nitrate runoff from factory farms and E. coli monitoring. Investigate Midwest reported that 168 environmental justice staff were placed on leave, halting ongoing investigations tied to pollution in rural areas.
With fewer boots on the ground and fewer resources, our ability to protect Iowa’s water, air, and soil is in question.
Since spring, more than 4,000 DOJ employees—including over 1,500 FBI staff—have left. Many cited burnout and political interference. The DOJ canceled public safety grants across the country. Iowa law enforcement lost access to drug task force funding, cybercrime support, and rural violence prevention partnerships. Officials in Iowa counties report losing their primary contacts for interstate criminal investigations. Without those partnerships, Iowa communities are being left to go it alone.
One federal agency isn’t slowing down. ICE arrests in Iowa have already surpassed last year’s total. So far in 2025, ICE has made 451 arrests and detained 633 individuals in Iowa—already exceeding the totals for all of 2024 (298 arrests and 575 detentions). (KCRG, July 3, 2025; KWQC, July 2, 2025)
Several Iowa counties—including Polk, Linn, Muscatine, Pottawattamie, Woodbury, and Hardin—are confirmed hosts to ICE detainee contracts, though recent arrest numbers by county remain undisclosed.
When our government is pulling away from nearly every form of care—health, education, clean water, disaster warning and response—the message is clear: safety, support, and stability are no longer their priority.
But Iowans know what matters. Safety and stability rooted in service—not fear. A government rooted in Iowa values starts with us paying attention to what’s happening at home—and spreading the word.
Sources:
InsuranceNewsNet, “Iowa Hospitals Face Uncertain Future Amid Cuts,” July 2, 2025
KCCI, “AmeriCorps Service Members Displaced After Funding Axed,” July 6 & 10, 2025
Iowa Capital Dispatch, “Farmers Face USDA Cuts, Program Delays,” July 17, 2025
Investigate Midwest, “EPA Halts Rural Pollution Investigations,” February 6, 2025
KWQC, “ICE Crackdowns Skyrocket in Iowa,” July 2, 2025
KCRG, “ICE Arrests and Detentions Surpass 2024 Totals,” July 3, 2025
Chalkbeat, “Education Dept. Layoffs and Restructuring,” March 11, 2025
Business Insider, “Supreme Court Clears Way for ED Layoffs,” July 14, 2025
EMS1, “FEMA, NWS Face Staffing Crisis Ahead of Disaster Season,” May 2025
Reuters, “USDA Staff Accept Mass Buyouts,” May 4, 2025