1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

Oppose Mandatory ICE Cooperation Bill in Iowa House** I am writing to urge you to oppose the bill currently under consideration in the Iowa House that would mandate all Iowa law enforcement agencies and officers cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal immigration agencies when requested. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, and I ask that you vote against this dangerous legislation. This bill fundamentally misunderstands the role of local law enforcement. Police exist to protect and serve everyone in their communities, not to enforce federal immigration law. When local officers are forced to act as immigration agents, trust between law enforcement and community members breaks down. Immigrants, including those who are victims of or witnesses to crimes, become afraid to report incidents or cooperate with investigations. This makes entire communities less safe. The mandatory cooperation language in this bill also raises serious constitutional concerns. ICE detainer requests are not judicial warrants and do not meet Fourth Amendment standards. Forcing Iowa officers to comply with these requests without probable cause puts our state at legal and financial risk. Multiple jurisdictions across the country have faced costly lawsuits for holding individuals based solely on ICE detainers. Recent events in Iowa underscore the dangers of federal immigration enforcement overreach. Alex Pretti was murdered by a Border Patrol agent and the only reason given was lawfully carrying a gun and recording ICE. This has understandably sparked vigils in Cedar Rapids and protests in Iowa City. This tragedy demonstrates why Iowans are rightfully concerned about expanding cooperation with agencies that have shown a pattern of constitutional violations and excessive force. Local law enforcement agencies should maintain the discretion to prioritize public safety based on their communities' needs, not be forced into a one-size-fits-all mandate. I urge you to vote no on this bill and protect both constitutional rights and effective community policing in Iowa.