Given just over 24 hours of notice, constituents poured into Roberts Memorial Center in Keosauqua in southeast Iowa on Monday.
It was the first in-person public event this year hosted by Miller-Meeks, who told Johnson County Republicans at a meeting in August that she would hold in-person town halls "when hell freezes over." The three-term congresswoman hosted a telephone town hall-style event in October, where members of her staff screened questions in advance.
This time, constituents wrote questions on slips of paper that were chosen by a moderator from a local radio station.
In her opening remarks, Miller-Meeks touted her support for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Republicans passed in July.
"I think I've read that next year, people will get some of the largest refunds they have had," Miller-Meeks said. "So passing those tax cuts, which primarily go to low and middle income families..."
She was interrupted by a chorus of boos and jeers, the earliest in a series of disruptions that continued throughout the hour.
Many of the questions focused on the future of health care, with the federal government shutdown surpassing 40 days. A group of Democratic Senators voted with Republicans to support reopening the government despite many in the party's base calling on Democrats to hold out and continue pushing for an extension of enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act that are set to expire at the end of the year.
"We have not seen the cost of health care come down," Miller-Meeks said. "There's a variety of reasons for that. First and foremost, what have we done? I continue to advance bills on pharmacy benefit managers to lower the cost of prescription drugs. I have done that in the state Senate, and I have done that in Congress. We almost got those through..."
She was interrupted again, when one constituent shouted, "You have to pass them!"
Others shouted, "What comes after the ACA?" and "What's your plan?"
More questions centered around the impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that 16 million more people will become uninsured by 2034 because of the law.
"Why did you allow your committee to put in place the largest cuts to Medicaid in the program's entire history?" one constituent asked to loud applause.
"Thank you for the applause for the Energy and Commerce Committee voting to strengthen and preserve Medicaid," Miller-Meeks responded, again to boos and jeers.
Republicans have highlighted some states' use of federal Medicaid funding for emergency procedures for people in the country without legal status as they promote the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's sweeping policy changes.
When asked about health care, the Epstein files and inflation, Miller-Meeks pivoted to talking about perceived policy failures under the Biden administration.
"First and foremost, farmers are suffering from high input costs, which occurred when we had record-high inflation under the Biden administration," she said in response to a question about the president's $20 billion lifeline to Argentina and plan to buy Argentinian beef.
More boos followed.
Two people were escorted out of the room after making loud statements. One was Democratic 1st District candidate Taylor Wettach. The other was pushed onto the ground by security as he was directed away.
"Our health care was already bad enough in the state, in terms of affordability and accessibility, and they're making it worse by ripping away health care from 66,000 folks in this district," Wettach said in a press conference before the town hall. "Mariannette Miller-Meeks is not stopping there. She's expanding upon that with the taking away of the ACA tax credits. People need their health care. They need it now."
Many more people walked out before the town hall was over, shaking their heads as they left.
"Was Pascual Pedro a criminal?" one person shouted, as Miller-Meeks was stepping offstage.
Twenty-year old Pascual Pedro of West Liberty was deported to Guatemala in July before his lawyer could file a motion for stay. When Miller-Meeks did not answer, the crowd began chanting, "Bring him back! Bring him back!"
After 50 minutes, Miller-Meeks left the room to loud boos. Staff said constituents followed her to her car.
She did not return for a planned meeting with the press after the town hall.
Family of man detained by ICE urges Miller-Meeks to bring him home
Before the town hall, family members and friends of Daniel Angel Meléndez, who was detained last week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Cedar Rapids, urged Miller-Meeks to try to bring him back home to Hills.
"Daniel has always done everything the right way," said Maria Lozano, Meléndez's wife during a press conference. "He is a hardworking, loving man and a devoted husband to me and a caring father to our baby boy, who is a U.S. citizen. What's happening to him is unfair and heartbreaking."
Meléndez was attending his annual check-in appointment with ICE when family members said he was detained. Lozano said he was transported to the Muscatine jail before being moved to Louisiana, where immigrants have been commonly placed in recent months ahead of their deportations.
Lozano met with Miller-Meeks before the event in a closed-door meeting.
"We will make inquiries when we get the requisite information and permission to do so from his spouse, Maria, and we will work in order to try and find out, number one, what are the circumstances?" Miller-Meeks said during the town hall. "And number two, what we can do? It will certainly help to have the government open for us to be able to speak with the relevant entities."
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