Critics Slam Iowa Bill Which Would Require State Law Enforcement to Assist ICE: 'Not the Work of Our Local Police'

Iowa lawmakers have advanced a bill that would require all state and local law enforcement agencies to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in identifying and detaining undocumented immigrants.

House Study Bill 187, approved by a House Judiciary Subcommittee, mandates that every Iowa law enforcement agency enter into agreements with ICE by January 1, 2026. These agreements would include participation in the jail enforcement model, allowing officers to identify individuals based on citizenship status, and the warrant service officer program, enabling them to serve and execute administrative warrants.

Representative Steven Holt, R-Denison, deemed the bill as "vital" to keeping communities safe in Iowa, as reported by The Gazette:

"Every nation has a right to secure its borders, and every nation has a right to control its borders in the interest of public safety. There's a huge difference between legal and illegal immigration."

Immigrant rights advocates across the state, however, strongly oppose the bill, warning it could deter immigrants from reporting crimes and lead to racial profiling. Speakers with the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice told the Iowa Capital Dispatch that the measure will hurt Latino and immigrant communities across the state, making people less likely to bring public safety issues to law enforcement's attention.

Concerns over racial profiling were also raised during the subcommittee hearing. Tom Palmer, a retired pastor, shared a personal story about his Guatemalan American son-in-law, a U.S. citizen, who was allegedly stopped and searched without a warrant due to his ethnicity. "Warrants for known criminals should be properly and legally obtained by ICE." Palmer said. "This is not the work of our local police."

Others, such as recently retired law enforcement officer Mike Tupper, raised concerns about stretching out the capacities of local police forces:

"It creates unfunded mandates. It creates unnecessary burdens on already-strained resources. I'm willing to bet that most law enforcement agencies in the state are hiring right now. They don't have time for an additional mission, and quite frankly, it's healthier for our communities if we maintain a healthy separation between federal immigration enforcement and local law enforcement."

Despite these objections, Representatives Holt and Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, supported the bill, citing public safety concerns. Wheeler referenced Sarah Root and Mollie Tibbetts, Iowans killed by undocumented immigrants. "I'm sure they'd have a few things to say if they could be here today," she said. "Our job is to keep our citizens safe, they come first."

There are currently around 52,300 undocumented immigrants in Iowa, according to the American Immigration Council.