(LibertySociety.com) – Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate Bill 2340 into law on April 10, which instantly sparked backlash from Democrats. The bill, which is similar to Texas’s SB4, would make illegal migration a state crime if the illegal migrant had already been deported once or had previously been denied entry into the United States. The bill will take effect on July 1 but could be held up if legal challenges are brought. State police would also be empowered to deport the illegal migrants who fall under the new law, although certain limitations are included. Additionally, individual law enforcement officers and agencies would be immune from liability under the new law.
During the signing of the bill, Reynolds slammed the Biden administration for not enforcing immigration laws, which she said put “the protection and safety of Iowans at risk.” She said that anyone who comes into the country illegally has broken the nation’s laws, but they are not deported by the Biden administration. Reynolds pointed out that the new law would allow the state’s law enforcement to “do what he is unwilling to do.” Democrat state Senator Janice Weiner claimed that the bill was only passed for political purposes. She argued that the state’s law enforcement did not have the resources to conduct deportations.
Under the new law, illegal migrants entering Iowa would be charged with a misdemeanor if they had already been deported, denied entry, or if they had left the United States after receiving an order for deportation. Individuals entering the state who had been convicted of certain crimes would be charged with a felony under the new law. State police officers would be able to arrest illegal migrants anywhere in the state except in schools, health care facilities, and places of worship. Texas’s SB4 has been making its way through the court system over the last several months. However, other states are still considering similar legislation, including New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Georgia. Oddly, the Mexican government threatened to take legal action against Iowa for its new law.
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