1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose House File 2041, which would mandate state law enforcement cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This bill is scheduled for a subcommittee hearing on January 28, 2026 at 12:00 PM in Room 304, and I ask that you take a firm stand against it before it advances through the House Public Safety Committee. Iowa should not be complicit in ICE's pattern of constitutional violations and family separations. Federal immigration enforcement has repeatedly demonstrated disregard for due process protections, conducting raids without proper warrants and detaining individuals without adequate legal representation. By requiring state cooperation, HF2041 would make Iowa law enforcement agents of a federal system that operates outside constitutional safeguards meant to protect all people within our borders. This legislation would also damage public safety in Iowa communities. When local police are perceived as immigration enforcers, immigrant community members become afraid to report crimes, cooperate with investigations, or seek help during emergencies. This creates dangerous blind spots that allow actual criminals to operate with impunity while victims remain silent out of fear. Law enforcement agencies across the country have recognized that community trust is essential to effective policing, and mandated ICE cooperation destroys that trust. The economic impact on Iowa would be significant. Immigrant workers contribute substantially to our agricultural sector, food processing plants, and service industries. Creating an environment of fear and uncertainty threatens workforce stability in industries that are already struggling to find workers. Small businesses owned by immigrants would face disruption, and families would be torn apart, leaving children in foster care at taxpayer expense. I urge you to vote against HF2041 and to speak out against it in committee. Iowa should be protecting constitutional rights and building safer communities, not facilitating a federal enforcement system that undermines both. Our state's values and practical interests demand opposition to this harmful legislation.