A federal court on June 18, 2024, issued a temporary block on SF 2340, one of the worst immigration laws ever passed in Iowa history.
The order for the temporary block (formally known as a preliminary injunction), headshots, and organizational logos can be found here.
Statement from Emma Winger, deputy legal director at the American Immigration Council.
“The court was right to block this cruel and blatantly unconstitutional law. If it had been allowed to go into effect, it would have meant that even people currently living in the U.S. lawfully could have been arrested, imprisoned, and forced to leave the country.
“Sadly, we are still seeing copycat laws and proposed measures that would cause irreparable harm for immigrant families, including in Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma. These types of laws create absolute chaos and human suffering and have no place in our legal system.”
Statement from Rita Bettis Austen, ACLU of Iowa legal director
"Today’s order means the law cannot be enforced for now while the case is litigated. We are relieved and grateful for the court’s decision which for the time being blocks SF 2340, among the worst anti-immigrant legislation in Iowa’s history, and which exposed even people with lawful status, and even children, to serious harm—arrest, detention, deportation, family separation, and incarceration, by the state.
"The court powerfully and accurately found that the law is 'untenable.' This state law conflicts with federal law and dumps the responsibility of immigration enforcement on state and local law enforcement and judges. Local law enforcement in Iowa have spoken up to say that they don't want this duty, given the significant ways that such enforcement would erode the ability of local law enforcement to protect public safety."
