Reynolds misled Iowans about cost of deploying troopers to Mexican border

Gov. Kim Reynolds was not forthright with Iowans about her decision to send state police to the U.S.-Mexico border zone last month.

State officials knew the expected costs of the Iowa State Patrol deployment to Texas for more than a month before they disclosed any figures to the public, according to documents obtained by The Gazette through an open records request. Even after signing a contract confirming Texas would not pay for the project, they continued to tell the public somebody else might foot the bill.

Reynolds announced in June she would send more than two dozen state troopers to assist with enforcement near the southern border. This editorial board wrote in July that it seemed more like a political stunt than a legitimate public safety mission, a point that is underscored by the latest update on the story.

Iowa law enforcement authorities had concerns about the financial and personnel costs associated with the operation, emails reviewed by Gazette journalist Erin Jordan show.

“The cost waiver request may be a dealbreaker in my opinion,” Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens wrote to a counterpart in Alabama on June 16, about a week before Reynolds announced the deployment.

“That’s what did it for my Governor. We just can’t afford it,” the Alabama law enforcement secretary wrote back.

Leaders also worried behind the scenes that the trip would create “staffing and logistical concerns” for law enforcement obligations here in Iowa.

Officials knew as early as June 17 that the trip would cost the public an estimated $383,700 but refused to disclose the number to inquiring journalists and legislators. It wasn’t until after the mission was complete at a July 28 news conference that they publicly acknowledged the final $300,000 price tag.

Reynolds scored political points by firing up her anti-immigrant base and for accusing President Joe Biden of mismanaging the border situation. At the same time, she tried to skirt the political burden of running up more than a quarter-million dollars in expenses for an out-of-state project.

There are a lot of problems with the immigration system and plenty of blame to go around. If Reynolds is serious about the humanitarian crisis, she should press the Biden administration to allow more immigrants to come legally. Sending cops to the border is not a real solution.

(319) 308-8262; editorial@thegazette.com