Payam Javan: Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed SF 2340 into law on April 10, granting authorities the ability to arrest and deport illegal immigrants previously denied entry to or removed from the United States.

The law, set to take effect on July 1, makes it a state crime for such individuals to be in Iowa. Reynolds attributed the law to the Biden Administration’s perceived failure to enforce federal immigration laws. Critics, including advocacy groups and the ACLU, argue the bill is unconstitutional and discriminatory, likely to harm communities and exacerbate racial profiling.

Similar legislation is being pursued in Texas and Louisiana, reflecting broader state-level efforts to address immigration amid perceived federal inaction.