US court upholds block on Iowa immigrant arrest law
Source: Reuters
January 24, 2025 3:55 PM EST Updated 4 hours ago
Jan 24 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court refused on Friday to allow Iowa to implement a law allowing for the arrest and prosecution of people who are in the country illegally.
The St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the Republican-led state's law, which had been set to take effect in July before it was blocked by a judge, would interfere with the federal government's ability to enforce U.S. immigration laws. "Decisions about the removal of illegal aliens touch on foreign relations and must be made with one voice," Circuit Judge Duane Benton wrote for the court.
Iowa's law would make "illegal reentry" into the state a crime punishable by up to two years in prison and authorize state judges to order that individuals return to their home countries after serving sentences.
The ruling keeps the state law blocked pending the outcome of a lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice, which sued Iowa last year during the administration of Democratic former President Joe Biden. The administration of Republican President Donald Trump could drop the challenge, along with lawsuits seeking to strike down similar laws adopted by Texas and Oklahoma. Civil rights groups have also sued over the state laws.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-court-upholds-block-iowa-immigrant-arrest-law-2025-01-24/