Iowa Governor signs a law like SB4 that authorizes the arrest of certain immigrants
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Governor Kim Reynolds signed a measure that makes illegal immigration a state crime in Iowa and builds on the Texas SB4 law that is currently being challenged in court
Iowa's Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, signed a law Wednesday that will classify as state crime for undocumented immigrants to enter Iowa after having been deported or denied entry to the United States.
The new law SF2340, which will go into effect on July 1 but could face legal challenges, unites Iowa and Texas, with its SB4 law, in the attempt to enforce United States immigration laws outside the federal government system.
Reynolds, who had said he would sign the legislation, accused federal officials of failing to secure the U.S.-Mexico border and putting Americans at risk.
“The Biden Administration has failed to enforce our nation’s immigration laws, putting the safety and security of Iowans at risk,” Reynolds said in a statement after signing the bill. . “This bill gives Iowa officials the power to do what they are not willing to do: enforce the immigration laws that are already in place.”
Criminal charges against some immigrants
Iowa law, like Texas law, could bring criminal charges to people who have outstanding deportation orders or who have previously been removed or denied entry to the U.S. Once In custody, immigrants could accept a judge's order to leave the country or face criminal prosecution.
In some cases, including people with certain prior convictions, the state offense would become a felony.
To enforce the new law , Iowa police officers would be allowed to make arrests in most places, but not in schools, places of worship or health care facilities.
The judge's order must identify the method of transportation to leave the United States and a law enforcement officer or Iowa agency to monitor the migrants' departures. Those who don't leave could face re-arrest on more serious charges.
Texas' SB4 law is stalled in the courts after a challenge from the U.S. Department of Justice that says that conflicts with the federal government's immigration authority.
The law in Iowa faces the same implementation and enforcement issues as the Texas law, since deportation is a “complicated, costly” federal process. and often dangerous,” said immigration law expert Huyen Pham of Texas A&M Law School a Univision.