Another disturbing bill has hit the Iowa Senate floor. Senate Study Bill 1172 would essentially ensure all counties, cities, and public campuses in Iowa comply with requests for immigrants’ information that has been obtained, strictly following any immigration legislation that is passed by the state or federal government. The bill also bans any local body or campus police department from endorsing or implementing a policy that prohibits or discourages the enforcement of immigration laws. This would include the sanctuary city movement in which cities or other local bodies have been declaring themselves a safe space for immigrants in light of last year’s elections.
This may impact the resolution the Johnson County Board of Supervisors were scheduled to put out regarding how they plan to administer immigration policy in the county. As of last week, it had appeared that Johnson County was in favor of declaring public safety as its No. 1 priority and staying uninvolved with immigration enforcement. If this ideal will remain is questionable. Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek said in a Press-Citizen article, “If they [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] ask us to assist them on raids, we’re not going to help them. We’re not going to go out on raids.”
When I spoke to Pulkrabek, he said he was unsure how SSB 1172 would affect Johnson County if it were to be passed. There are many amendments the state Senate can still make to the bill, and therefore it is difficult to be prepared for how the final draft will influence current immigration policy within the county. As of now, immigration is a federal issue and Pulkrabek would prefer to keep it that way.
It is still unclear if this language will be included in the Johnson County resolution, however, it has been made clear by officials that the resolution would not make Johnson County a sanctuary county.
Although that term is not being used, the legality of the resolution would still be in question if SSB 1172 were to pass and become effective Jan. 1, 2018. The bill states that any local bodies or campuses that violate it would be barred from state funds. Not only is SSB 1172 requiring all cities and counties to no longer have any policy that discourages or interferes with any new immigration decisions, but the bill also requires cities and counties to update their policies in a way that is consistent with the bill and requires full compliance with the bill.
Residents of Iowa City gathered March 4 to protest this bill along with a similar bill, HF 265. HF 265 essentially prohibits any policy that limits or restricts the enforcement of any federal immigration law, laws that could be used against immigrants.
Immigrants and minorities throughout Iowa fear that these bills will take away the small protection they have put their faith in under local law. With the travel ban President Donald Trump tried to invoke earlier this year and the constant claims he makes to rid the country of illegal immigrants, the reality of Iowans being forced out of their homes has become all too present. To see that Iowa is behind this threatening and unwelcoming attitude is disheartening. The state Legislature needs to seriously reconsider these bills, and Harreld needs to make a formal statement that the UI will remain a safe space.