Iowa AG Brenna Bird joins another lawsuit against Biden, endorses Republican-led anti-fentanyl bill

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, a Republican, has joined another multistate lawsuit against Democratic President Joe Biden, this one over the administration’s border policies.

Bird also in a news release endorsed Republican-led federal legislation that would make lab-based fentanyl copycats Schedule I drugs.

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Iowa is among 22 states to sign onto a letter, initiated by Florida and Virginia, that calls on Congress to pass H.R. 467, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act, or the HALT Fentanyl Act.

By reclassifying fentanyl copies as Schedule I drugs, they also would become illegal to sell or distribute.

In 2022, fentanyl and fentanyl analogues caused about 66 percent of drug overdose deaths, and fentanyl analogues often are more potent than fentanyl itself, according to the Iowa AG’s office.

“Criminalizing fentanyl analogues will give law enforcement the tools they need to fight the deadly fentanyl epidemic, crack down on drug dealers, and save lives,” Bird said in a news release issued late last week.

Also late last week, Bird joined a multistate lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s new immigration asylum rules.

The rules, put in place after the recent expiration of the pandemic-era Title 42, mean federal officials can turn away asylum-seekers who did not meet certain criteria, including migrants who passed through another country to reach the U.S. without applying for asylum there.

Most migrants found violating the policy will be banned from re-entry for five years.

Migrants also can schedule a time to present at an entry port with an app, or prove that it was not possible to use the app due to a language barrier or other obstacle. The states argued those exceptions will allow more migrants to cross the border illegally.

“This open border rule turns every state into a border state. It strains our already-overburdened border security and invites an increase of illegal drugs, crime, and human trafficking into our communities,” Bird said in a news release. “We must take urgent action to secure our border and keep the Biden Administration in check.”

The Indiana-led lawsuit includes 19 states.

Attorney general announces new hires

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announced new hires to her senior staff last week.

Susan Krisko will serve as deputy attorney general for criminal justice, overseeing criminal prosecution. She has worked in the attorney general’s office for 15 years and was previously an assistant attorney general who specialized in prosecuting high-level felony cases.

Daniel Barnes will serve as deputy attorney general for consumer protection, overseeing consumer fraud cases. Barnes was an attorney at a private Milwaukee firm for more than eight years, working executive compensation and employee benefit issues. He also has worked as a legal intern for the Iowa governor’s office.

Nearly 500 sites for summer food program

The free summer food program for low-income students will be available at nearly 500 sites across the state, the Iowa Department of Education announced.

The program was created to help ensure low-income students who rely on free or reduced-price meals during the school year don’t go hungry during the summer, the department said. Students ages 18 and younger will be able to receive free meals at a variety of locations, including schools, churches, community centers, parks, libraries, housing complexes and camps.

Iowans can find summer meal sites at www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids, by texting “Food” or “Comida” to 304-304, or by calling any of these numbers:

The program is funded by the federal agriculture department and operated by the state education department.

$200,000 in assistance approved for Davenport building collapse

Iowa’s Executive Council, consisting of the governor, secretaries of state and agriculture, treasurer and auditor, on Monday approved $200,000 in assistance to households affected by the May 28 collapse of a six-story Davenport apartment building.

The council approved $150,000 through the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and $50,000 through the Iowa Disaster Case Management Program.

Recipients will be able to use the funds to establish a recovery plan and to repair or replace items damaged in the collapse.

The individual assistance program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The grant application and instructions are available at https://hhs.iowa.gov/disaster-assistance-programs.

Through the disaster management program, case managers work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice and referrals to obtain other needed services and resources.

Learn more at https://iowacommunityaction.org.

State Treasurer Roby Smith, a Republican former state lawmaker from Davenport, in a statement said: “As a member of the Davenport community, I know how vital these funds are to those affected by this tragedy.

“My family and I want to share our deepest sympathies with the families of Branden Colvin, Sr., Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien, and our continued support for all those impacted as they work to recover and find a path forward.”

DNR: Summer heat leads to Oelwein fish kill

Summer heat contributed to a fish kill in an unnamed tributary to Otter Creek that flows through Oelwein in Fayette County, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced Monday.

“This is a natural kill caused by extremely warm water temperatures and low flow conditions on the stream,” Theresa Shay, fisheries technician with the Iowa DNR, said in a statement.

A little more than two miles of stream were affected by the warm water, killing less than 1,000 fish. Species primarily affected include smaller minnows, dace and suckers, according to the DNR.

Those who see dead fish at an Iowa lake or river are urged to call the DNR’s 24-hour spill line at 515-725-8694 as soon as possible.

“Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of a fish kill and potentially stop a fish kill in progress,” according to a news release.