Residents urge safeguards for license-plate-reader data; city unveils single financial-assistance eligibility form

DUBUQUE, Iowa — During public input at the July 6 City Council meeting several community members urged stronger safeguards for the city’s license-plate reader system and asked elected leaders to route any federal data requests to the city attorney and to consider suspending the program if information is used for immigration enforcement.

Sister Nancy Miller of the Building Bridges coalition said her group reviewed the police department’s policy and media reports and ‘‘appreciate[d] and support that policy’’ because it lists prohibited uses that include immigration enforcement. She asked the council to require that ‘‘all requests by a federal agency for data or information from the license plate reader system be forwarded to the city attorney for review’’ and recommended suspension of the program if the city is threatened with sanctions or if data is used for immigration enforcement.

Rochelle Friedman and Dave Hyer, other Building Bridges members, urged protections for immigrant neighbors and recommended clarifying the internal review process so that officers and staff are protected and consistent when legal questions arise.

City staff present acknowledged conversations with the city manager, police chief and assistant city attorney and noted the department’s policy language that identifies immigration enforcement as a prohibited use. The council did not take formal action on the recommendations during the meeting.

Separately, city staff introduced a new City of Dubuque financial-assistance eligibility form designed to connect residents to multiple city programs through one application. Miranda Redmond, community diversion and prevention coordinator in the Office of Community Impact and Neighborhood Support, described a frontline wraparound service team that consolidates program eligibility checks, provides a single point of contact and routes residents to the appropriate department.

Redmond said once a resident completes the online or paper form the system flags possible eligible programs and provides a department contact, phone number and email so staff can follow up. She described plans for printed copies, QR codes, neighborhood outreach and partnerships with community organizations such as HACAP to distribute paper applications.

Councilmembers praised the streamlined approach and asked staff to add a printable PDF and a central phone number to the materials; staff said those options will be provided. The council voted to receive and file the presentation (7-0).

What’s next

City staff said they will maintain existing policy language and will continue discussions about whether additional procedural safeguards or formal council action are needed for license-plate-reader requests. The financial-assistance eligibility form is in soft launch with outreach and adjustments expected based on user feedback.