Immigration bill goes to the governor

March 26, 2024

The Iowa House passed SF 2340 on March 19 and sent it to the governor.  The Iowa Catholic Conference urges the governor to veto the bill.

It’s similar to a Texas law that has been stopped up for now by a federal appeals court. SF 2340 sets up new state criminal penalties for irregular border crossings by people who don’t have legal authorization to be here and allows Iowa officials to carry out what are effectively deportations. The governor has indicated she will sign the bill.

It is problematic that SF 2340 would explicitly allow state officials to prosecute an individual for state immigration crimes, even if that person’s application for immigration relief is pending before federal authorities.

The Catholic Church recognizes a country’s right and responsibility to manage its borders in accordance with the common good.

CLINIC, the Catholic bishops’ legal immigration arm, is concerned that having state judges and magistrates decide immigration cases without the requisite experience in immigration law could result in a lack of due process and inhumane results for immigrants fleeing persecution. Families should not be separated and should receive special consideration. Further, if local law enforcement is tied to immigration enforcement, it can hurt community trust and lead to fear of reporting crimes.

It’s unclear if the federal courts will allow states to apply their own policies in regard to migration.

For more information on this and other bills at the state Capitol, go to iowacatholicconference.org.