Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (R) recently signed a new bill into law, making it against the law for individuals who have been denied entry to or removed from the United States to be in the state of Iowa.
The bill SF 2340 is set to establish a state crime in Iowa for individuals with outstanding deportation orders, prior removal from the U.S., or previous denial of admission to Iowa. Under this law, once a suspect is apprehended, they may be given the option to comply with a judge’s order to depart the country or face additional charges.
The judge’s order should provide details about how the person travels to the port of entry and specify the law enforcement officer or agency responsible for ensuring their compliance with the order.
The law bears resemblance to a Texas state law, which grants state law enforcement the power to apprehend individuals they suspect of unlawfully entering the country. However, the Texas law is currently facing legal challenges and is currently blocked in court.
In a statement, Reynolds expressed her belief that the bill she signed will provide law enforcement with increased authority to enforce immigration laws that are already in place.
“The Biden Administration’s failure to uphold our nation’s immigration laws is jeopardizing the safety and security of Iowans. Individuals who enter our country illegally have clearly violated the law, yet Biden refuses to take action and deport them. This proposed legislation empowers Iowa law enforcement to do what the administration is unwilling to do: enforce the existing immigration laws.”
The legislation is set to take effect on July 1st.
The new legislation has already received criticism from activists and migrants residing in Iowa. In a statement released on Wednesday, the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice expressed their determination to oppose the bill.
According to a statement, Iowa politicians are accused of pushing this absurd act forward during an election year as a means to fuel partisan campaign rhetoric, instill fear within immigrant communities, and mobilize voters through anti-immigrant sentiment. Immigrants’ rights organizations are prepared to counteract these efforts and strive to prevent the implementation of this unconstitutional law.
According to Mark Stringer, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, the recently approved legislation in Iowa has been labeled as one of the most extreme, discriminatory, and unconstitutional anti-immigrant bills in the country.
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