Iowa AG opens investigation into Winneshiek County after sheriff’s comments on ICE relations
Iowa Attorney General, Brenna Bird
(ABC 6 News) — Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announced on Thursday that an investigation has been opened into Winneshiek County.
This comes after Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx issued a letter on Tuesday to clarify his office’s level of involvement with ICE and other federal agencies.
Related: Local sheriff addresses how his office will work with federal agencies such as ICE
On Wednesday, Governor Kim Reynolds sent a complaint against Winneshiek County to the AG’s office over comments made in the letter.
Sheriff Marx stated the sheriff’s office will help federal agents if their actions and paperwork are within “constitutional parameters.” If they are not though, he says his office will “make every effort to block, interfere and interrupt their actions from moving forward.”
Reynolds’ complaint stated “Iowa law provides a sheriff shall not adopt or enforce a policy or take any other action under which the sheriff prohibits or discourages the enforcement of immigration laws.”
Bird issued the following statement via a press release:
“Iowa law is clear: counties and cities must comply with Iowa Code Chapter 27A, which specifically requires law enforcement to comply with ICE detainers or risk loss of state funding. We have received the Governor’s complaint against Winneshiek County and have opened an investigation.”