Iowa Gov. Reynolds orders state public safety, corrections officers to comply with federal immigration agencies

DES MOINES — Iowa’s public safety and corrections departments are to fully cooperate with federal immigration agencies under the new administration, and proactively contact those agencies if a state officer has “reasonable suspicion” that a federal immigration law has been violated, according to a memo from Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Reynolds, a Republican, issued the memo Friday to the Iowa Department of Public Safety and its Commissioner Stephan Bayens and the Iowa Department of Corrections and its Director Beth Skinner.

President-elect Donald Trump, a Republican, will be sworn into office Monday.

Reynolds’ memo drew criticism from a group that advocates for immigrants in Iowa. The group Escucha Mi Voz, which translates to Hear My Voice, said Reynolds should be focused on “keeping families together,” safeguarding “essential workers” in Iowa, and that law enforcement officers “must uphold and respect our constitutional rights.”

Reynolds posted a copy of the memo on social media Friday.

“(Friday) I sent a memo to (Bayens and Skinner) to ensure they are prepared on Day 1 of the (Trump) administration to support his enforcement of our immigration laws and keep our communities safe,” Reynolds said in the post accompanying the memo.

Today, I sent a memo to @IowaDPS Commissioner Bayens and @IowaCorrections Director Skinner to ensure they are prepared on Day 1 of the @realDonaldTrump administration to support his enforcement of our immigration laws and keep our communities safe. pic.twitter.com/PakQYjRtr3

— Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) January 17, 2025

Trump in 2024 won election to a second, non-consecutive term as president after running a campaign that again included a focus on strict immigration policies. He has suggested his administration will deport all individuals living in the country without documentation.

Immigration was the No. 4 issue on voters’ minds in the 2024 presidential election, according to exit polling, behind the economy, democracy, and abortion.

Trump won Iowa by 13 points.

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Reynolds’ order, according to her memo to the state agencies, is “to promote public safety by ensuring that Iowa is prepared for federal policy implementation regarding illegal immigration.”

The memo issues three directives to the Iowa Departments of Public Safety and Corrections: to cooperate with federal agencies conducting immigration investigations in Iowa, to contact federal immigration agencies if an officer has “a reasonable suspicion” that someone in Iowa has violated federal immigration laws, and to honor any request from federal immigration agencies to transfer an individual to federal authorities or detain an individual until they can be transferred to a federal agent.

Regarding Reynolds’ order that state officers report any “reasonable suspicion” of federal immigration law violations, the governor’s office said “reasonable suspicion” is a legal term, which in the memo’s context means, “the law enforcement officer has identified specific and articulable facts, which, taken together with rational inferences from those facts, amount to reasonable suspicion that further investigation is warranted to determine whether federal immigration laws have been violated.”

Iowa Department of Public Safety policy is “to comply with state and federal law regarding immigration and detainer issues,” according to a department document provided by a spokeswoman.

Escucha Mi Voz member Alejandra Escobar’s statement referred to potential impacts of Trump’s deportation plans, including the separation of families and the loss of many agricultural workers in Iowa.

Two out of every five U.S. agricultural workers in 2022 were immigrants without authorization, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

“Gov. Reynolds’ focus should be on keeping families together while safeguarding the essential workers who are the backbone of Iowa’s economy,” Escobar’s statement said. “Gov. Reynolds and law enforcement at all levels must uphold and respect our constitutional rights. ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and the police cannot enter our homes without a warrant. We have the right to remain silent, consult with an attorney, and request identification from law enforcement officials.”

Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com

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