Magalys Arriba Fuentes, the mother of Feglys Campos, a young Cuban man who was fatally shot by police in a park in Denison, Iowa, on August 16, shared the story of her son's life and her profound grief with Spain's newspaper, EL PAÍS. At 58, Magalys, who works as a floor cleaner in Madrid, described her son as a hardworking individual who aspired to improve his family's life. “Feglys always dreamed of leaving Cuba. He promised me that someday he would bring me to the United States. He wanted to live well and share that with us,” Magalys recounted to journalist Carla Colomé, who conducted an in-depth investigation into the Cuban’s death at the scene.
Feglys made his journey to the United States on July 22, 2023, via the CBP One application, after an arduous trek through countries like Russia, Macedonia, Slovenia, and Serbia, spending some time in Spain, as documented in the report. Once in Denison, he secured employment at Smithfield, a company involved in pork processing, where neighbors and colleagues remembered him as a "decent" and "helpless" young man.
However, after being laid off due to the Trump administration's revocation of work permits for immigrants benefiting from CBP One, Feglys found himself homeless. His mother asserted that he was never diagnosed with any mental illness, though some acquaintances mentioned that he seemed "driven to madness" by the immigrant hardships he faced, experiencing a personal and mental health crisis at the time of the incident.
“I can't fathom what might have happened to my son. No parent should lose a child this way; police are meant to protect us, not harm us,” Magalys expressed tearfully. On the morning of August 16, the town buzzed with rumors about a fatal shooting in the park where Feglys slept. Locals have since erected a memorial with flowers, candles, teddy bears, beers, and a sign demanding "Justice for Feglys."
Dozens of residents marched to the police station, urging the release of body camera footage from the involved officers. Brenda Hernández, a friend of the victim, mentioned that on the shooting night, officers requested residents' security camera recordings. Meanwhile, Catherine M. Lucas, Iowa's Department of Public Safety's General Counsel, announced that the prosecutor has 180 days to issue a report on the shooting.
One week following Feglys's death, community members gathered in Washington Park, grappling with a collective sense of guilt and obligation toward the young Cuban. “What we did for him was not enough. I feel guilty,” they confessed to Colomé. His mother, meanwhile, is left with the haunting question, “Why did they do this to my baby? He didn't deserve it.”
The report emphasizes that the revocation of work permits for recipients of programs like humanitarian parole and CBP One has caused chaos in the labor market, particularly in the agricultural sector. This upheaval left Feglys on the streets. Residents of the Iowa town where the crime occurred fear it may be rooted in xenophobia and racism.
Understanding the Incident and Its Implications
What led to Feglys Campos becoming homeless?
Feglys Campos lost his job after the Trump administration revoked work permits for immigrants benefiting from CBP One, leaving him without a source of income and leading to his homelessness.
What actions have the local residents taken following Feglys's death?
Local residents have erected a memorial in the park where Feglys was shot and have marched to the police station demanding the release of body camera footage from the incident.
How has the community reacted to the shooting incident?
The community has expressed a collective sense of guilt and a feeling of obligation towards Feglys, acknowledging that they could have done more to help him.
What concerns do residents have about the nature of the crime?
Residents fear that the crime may have been motivated by xenophobia and racism, given the circumstances surrounding Feglys's death.