A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking Iowa’s recent legislation targeting illegal immigration, just days before it was set to take effect on July 1.
Signed earlier this year as Senate File 2340, the law would have empowered Iowa law enforcement to charge undocumented immigrants with aggravated misdemeanors if found in the state after previous deportation, denial of admission, removal from the U.S., or possessing a deportation order.
The U.S. Department of Justice and civil rights groups argued in court that the Iowa law overstepped state authority by infringing on federal jurisdiction over immigration enforcement. They contended that allowing state-level enforcement would conflict with existing federal immigration laws.
However, Iowa’s Deputy Solicitor General, Patrick Valencia, defended the legislation, arguing that it merely enabled local enforcement of already established federal immigration statutes without introducing new regulations.
U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher sided with the Department of Justice, ruling that the Iowa law is preempted by federal legislation under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. In his decision, Locher stated that the state measure cannot stand as it contradicts federal laws and treaties, declaring it invalid in its entirety.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird expressed disappointment over the ruling and announced plans to appeal. Bird criticized the Biden administration for what she perceives as lax border policies, asserting that Iowa’s law was necessary to maintain community safety.
Governor Kim Reynolds supported the Attorney General’s decision to appeal, echoing criticisms of federal immigration enforcement under President Biden. Reynolds argued that the injunction leaves states vulnerable amidst what she describes as a border crisis leading to increased crime, drug overdoses, and human trafficking in Iowa.
Emma Winger from the American Immigration Council, representing a coalition of civil rights groups and Iowa plaintiffs, applauded the court’s decision to block the law. Winger criticized state-level immigration enforcement as causing chaos and suffering, asserting it has no place in the legal system.
Leaders from immigrant advocacy groups, such as Guillermo Trevino Jr. of Escucha Mi Voz Iowa, celebrated the injunction as providing more time to challenge the law. Trevino Jr. expressed hope that Iowa’s Attorney General would reconsider appealing the judge’s decision.
The ruling on Iowa’s immigration law reflects ongoing legal battles across several states, including Texas and Oklahoma, where similar legislation faces federal challenges.