Iowa SF 481 (2018) prohibits cities and counties from adopting sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities; Des Moines and Polk County must honor ICE detainers or risk state funding loss.
Iowa SF 481, signed in 2018, prohibits any Iowa city, county, or law enforcement agency from adopting policies that restrict cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Local agencies must honor ICE detainer requests and cannot bar officers from inquiring about immigration status. Non-compliant jurisdictions can lose state funding. Des Moines and Polk County have policies aligned with SF 481. Des Moines Police generally do not initiate immigration enforcement during routine stops but will hold detainees on valid ICE detainers up to 48 hours. Iowa community groups have challenged the law without success.
Loss of state grant funding for non-compliant cities, possible removal of officials, civil enforcement by the Iowa Attorney General against jurisdictions adopting sanctuary policies.
See how Des Moines's sanctuary policy preemption rules stack up against other locations.
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