Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs law allowing state law enforcement to ARREST ILLEGALS

04/16/2024 / By Ramon Tomey

Following the footsteps of Texas, the state of Iowa has approved a bill allowing both state and local law enforcement to arrest illegals who have been previously deported from or denied entry to the United States.

Gov. Kim Reynolds, the chief executive of the Hawkeye State, signed Senate File (SF) 2340 on April 10. According to 100 Percent Fed Up, SF 2340 makes it a crime for illegals to enter Iowa after they have been denied entry or deported. The newly-signed law will take effect on July 1.

“The Biden administration has failed to enforce our nation’s immigration laws, putting the protection and safety of Iowans at risk. Those who come into our country illegally have broken the law, yet [President Joe] Biden refused to deport them,” Reynolds said in a statement.

She added that SF 2340 “gives Iowa law enforcement the power to do what he is unwilling to do: Enforce immigration laws already on the books.” A later post on X by Reynolds reiterated this stance, adding that the new law empowers law enforcement in Iowa to “deport illegal criminals to protect our state.”

According to the Des Moines Register, SF 2340 provides legal immunity for local law enforcement and other government officials responsible for enforcing the measure. However, the law prohibits the apprehension of suspects if they are in a school, a place of worship, a health care facility or a facility for survivors of sexual assault.

While Reynolds’ move to sign SF 2340 into law was well-received, some groups expressed opposition – with the Des Moines-based Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (IMMJ) being one of them. “Welcoming immigrants and refugees is the definition of what ‘Iowa Nice’ should be,” the group said in a statement.

“Iowa politicians moved this ridiculous stunt forward in an election year in order to perpetuate partisan campaign rhetoric, drive fear in immigrant communities and mobilize voters using fear and anti-immigrant sentiment. Immigrants’ rights organizations are ready to fight back and work to block this unconstitutional law from going into effect.”

Mark Stringer, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Iowa chapter, also condemned the measure in a statement. According to him, SF 2340 “tells Iowa judges to order someone to be deported or jailed before they have an opportunity to seek humanitarian protection that they are entitled to.”

Texas law similar to SF 2340 currently blocked by the courts

But according to the Register, the Texas law similar to SF 2340 is currently “blocked by the courts while a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality is decided.” Senate Bill (SB) 4 was initially signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in December 2023.

POLITICO reported in December of last year that under SB 4, any Texas law enforcement officer can arrest people suspected of entering the country illegally. Once in custody, they could either agree to a Texas judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on charges of illegal entry, a misdemeanor. Migrants who refuse to comply could be arrested again, this time under more serious felony charges.

However, the Biden administration and several other plaintiffs challenged SB 4 in court – with the law being caught up in a back-and-forth within the judicial system. ZeroHedge shared the latest development with regard to the measure, noting that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated a lower court’s injunction against enforcement of the law.

SF 2340 isn’t the only action Iowa has done in solidarity with the Lone Star State’s position on border security. The Register said the Hawkeye State has deployed 10 officers of the Iowa Department of Public Safety and 110 members of the Iowa National Guard to the border to support Texas’ efforts. Iowa previously deployed 115 Guardsmen to Texas in support of the latter’s Operation Lone Star. (Related: 24 Republican governors pledge to support Texas in securing US-Mexico border.)

Head over to BorderSecurity.news for more similar stories.

Watch this clip from “American Agenda” on Newsmax about how Americans are fed up with the influx of illegals – something SF 2340 seeks to address.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.