DOJ sues Iowa over state immigration law
The Justice Department on Thursday sued Iowa over a recent law that forbids people from being in the state if they were previously denied entry into the United States.
Iowa's Senate File 2340 makes it a crime for a person to be in Iowa if they were previously removed from the U.S. or have outstanding deportation orders.
“Iowa cannot disregard the U.S. Constitution and settled Supreme Court precedent,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division.
“We have brought this action to ensure that Iowa adheres to the framework adopted by Congress and the Constitution for regulation of immigration.”
The suit comes after the Justice Department warned Iowa last week that it would launch litigation if the state implemented the law, noting the Supreme Court has previously determined only the federal government has the power to enforce immigration laws.
Boynton said the law “effectively creates a separate state immigration scheme,” which “intrudes into a field that is occupied by the federal government and is preempted.”
The Iowa Department of Justice did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The Iowa law follows the passage of a similar law in Texas, which granted local law enforcement the power to effectively carry out immigration duties and deport those perceived to be migrants to Mexico, regardless of their country of origin.
The DOJ likewise sued over that law, which has been put on hold while litigation continues.
The Justice Department suit followed another filed earlier Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the American Immigration Council.
“This ugly law is deeply harmful to Iowa families and communities. Iowa lawmakers knowingly targeted people who are protected by federal immigration laws and who are legally allowed to be here, like people granted asylum, or special visas given to survivors of domestic violence or other crimes,” the ACLU said in a statement.
“And there are lots of good reasons — related to foreign relations, national security, humanitarian interests, and our constitutional system — why the federal government enforces our immigration law, instead of all 50 states going out and doing their own thing to enforce their own separate immigration schemes. It’s hard to overstate how awful and bizarre this law is.”
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) previously defended the state’s passage of the law.
“The only reason we had to pass this law is because the Biden Administration refuses to enforce the laws already on the books,” Reynolds said in a post on the social platform X last week.
“I have a duty to protect the citizens of Iowa. Unlike the federal government, we will respect the rule of law and enforce it.”
The Justice Department has had initial success in its litigation on other laws and practices it sees as a challenge to federal authority.
The DOJ also sued Texas after it placed large buoys in the Rio Grande to block migrants crossing the river, and the department also challenged Texas’s placement of concertina wire along the border, arguing it interfered with U.S. immigration agents carrying out their jobs.
Date: | |
Tag: | College Football |
Filter
-
Activists sue Russia over ‘weak’ climate policy
Russian constitutional court is considering claim, which activists hope will raise awareness about emissions. A group of activists are fighting for the right to scrutinise Russia’s climate policies, and in particular its enormous methane ...The Guardian - World - Climate -
Red state abortion bans headed for clash with blue state shield laws
A clash is looming between anti-abortion red states and the blue state telemedicine shield laws trying to preserve abortion access. More than a dozen states have laws shielding medical providers and others from out-of-state investigations and ...The Hill - Politics - Abortion -
Why US law firms outgun City rivals in battle over pay
Rates for newly qualified lawyers have become a proxy for firm qualityFinancial Times - Business -
Bad Bunny sports agency sues MLB players’ union over ‘death penalty’ ban
Bad Bunny-led firm accuses union of ‘biased' investigationSports representation firm lost MLBPA certification in AprilRimas Sports announces NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr as clientBad Bunny’s sports representation firm sued the baseball players’ ...The Guardian - World - MLB -
Bad Bunny sports agency sues baseball players' union over ban, announces Ronald Acuña Jr. as client
Bad Bunny’s sports representation firm sued the baseball players’ association Thursday, asking for a restraining order against the union that would allow it to keep working with the company’s clientsABC News - Entertainment - MLB -
Parents of disabled children sue Indiana over Medicaid changes addressing $1 billion shortfall
Mothers of two children with disabilities are suing an Indiana agency in federal court over changes to Medicaid attendant care services they say violate the Americans with Disabilities ActABC News - Health -
Country star Zac Brown sues estranged wife Kelly Yazdi over Instagram post
Zac Brown filed a lawsuit against his estranged wife Friday demanding she take down an Instagram post, arguing what she put online has tarnished his public image.NBC News - Top stories -
Ron DeSantis signs bill scrubbing ‘climate change’ from Florida state laws
State, which just had its hottest year since 1895, will ban offshore wind power, boost natural gas and reduce gas pipeline rules. Climate change will be a lesser priority in Florida and largely disappear from state statutes under legislation ...The Guardian - World - Florida -
GOP lawmaker proposes sanctions against Georgian officials over Russian-inspired law
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) is readying legislation to sanction government officials in the country of Georgia over their pursuit of a Russian-inspired bill that has triggered unprecedented protests and drawn condemnation from U.S. and European Union ...The Hill - Politics -
DOJ Says Boeing Violated a Safety Agreement
The Justice Department informed Boeing that it could face criminal charges after failing to implement adequate corrective measures after two fatal disasters in 2018 and 2019.Inc. - Business
More from The Hill
-
Investigation finds BWM, Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen bought parts linked to forced labor in China
Multiple major automakers relied on forced labor in China for some purchased parts, a Senate Finance Committee investigation found Monday. BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Volkswagen purchased parts that were flagged by the U.S. government for links to ...The Hill - Politics - China -
The ruinous reign of Vladimir the Terrible
Putin has destroyed his army, lost Ukraine, strengthened NATO, diminished Russia’s security, transformed Russia into an abject vassal of China and turned back the clock on Russia’s economic and political modernization.The Hill - Politics -
Howard Dean won't run for Vermont governor
Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) dashed speculation about another gubernatorial run Monday, deciding against a bid to challenge Republican Gov. Phil Scott. “In theory, this is a winnable race. But I’ve been in state and national politics for a ...The Hill - Politics -
Trump says 'very talented' Paxton possible AG pick
Former President Trump said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton would be a strong choice to run the Justice Department in a future Trump administration. In a conversation Sunday with Fox 4 Dallas Fort Worth at the NRA convention, Trump said he would ...The Hill - Politics - Donald Trump -
Return-to-office mandate is backfiring on a key federal agency
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dynamics of the workplace have undergone a seismic shift. While some heralded the return to the office as a sign of normalcy, evidence suggests that for many, this transition has been far from smooth ...The Hill - Politics