The U.S. Department of Justice is threatening to sue the state of Iowa, and KCCI obtained a letter this week addressed to Gov. Kim Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Byrd. The Justice Department says the immigration bill Reynolds signed this spring, which criminalizes illegal re-entry, is unconstitutional. Senate File 2340 passed the Iowa House and Senate this Congress, and Reynolds signed it in April. This would allow Iowa police officers to arrest previously deported illegal immigrants, and if convicted, a judge could order them to be deported to their home country. “It’s sending a message,” Reynolds said earlier this week. “This is not the place to come if you have been deported or have been rejected and are in this country illegally.” The law is not scheduled to go into effect until July 1, but the federal government I am requesting it. Iowa does not enforce enforcement. Justice Department officials claim the law “invades territory occupied by the federal government” and “creates separate state immigration programs.” Iowans protested in front of the state Capitol on Wednesday against the new law. Activists say Iowa should not have passed the bill and turned immigration over to the federal government. “The governor shouldn’t be trying to do the president’s job at all. This is federal law,” said Joe Henry of the United Latin American Citizens League. Henry says this is just a lawmaker playing politics on an important issue. “We know these laws violate federal law and violate the Constitution, but they’re being politicized, that’s all,” Henry said. The Governor’s Office sent the following statement to KCCI: This is because the Biden administration has refused to enforce the law that has already been established. Unlike the federal government, I have a duty to respect and enforce the rule of law. ” Attorney General Brenna Byrd also sent us. Today’s statement includes part of a message to the federal government: “Iowa will not back down and stand idly by as the security of our state is at stake. If we refuse to stop them and keep our communities safe, the state of Iowa will do so.” The Justice Department says Iowa has until Tuesday to agree not to enforce the law until a lawsuit is filed.
The U.S. Department of Justice is threatening to sue the state of Iowa.
KCCI obtained the letter addressed to Gov. Kim Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Byrd this week. The Justice Department argues that the immigration bill Reynolds signed this spring that criminalizes illegal reentry is unconstitutional.
Senate File 2340 passed the Iowa House and Senate this Congress and was signed by Reynolds in April. This would allow Iowa police officers to arrest previously deported illegal immigrants.
And if found guilty, a judge could order them to be deported to their home countries.
“It’s sending a message,” Reynolds said earlier this week. “If you have been deported or have been denied entry and are in this country illegally, this is not the place to be.”
The law is not scheduled to go into effect until July 1, but the federal government has asked Iowa not to enforce it.
Justice Department officials say the law “creates a separate state immigration program” that “invades an area occupied by the federal government.”
Iowans protested in front of the state Capitol on Wednesday against the new law. Activists say Iowa should not have passed the bill and turned immigration over to the federal government.
“A governor should never try to do the president’s job. This is federal law,” said Joe Henry of the United Latin American Citizens League.
Henry says this is just MPs playing politics on an important issue.
“Our elected leaders know these laws violate federal law and violate the Constitution, but they’re being politicized and that’s it,” Henry said. said.
“The only reason we had to pass this law is because the Biden administration refused to enforce the law that was already in place. I have a duty to protect the people of Iowa,” the governor’s office told KCCI. It is different from the federal government.” , we respect and enforce the rule of law. ”
Attorney General Brenna Byrd also sent us a statement today with a message to the federal government, which reads in part: “Iowa will not back down because its safety is at stake. “If Biden refuses to stop and maintain border invasions,” Iowans will do the job for him if our communities are safe. ”
The Justice Department says Iowa has until Tuesday to agree not to enforce the law until it files a lawsuit.
