DES MOINES, Iowa – Governor Kim Reynolds threatened to pull state funding for Winneshiek County. Reynolds expressed displeasure with Sheriff Dan Marx for questioning excesses in Trump-ordered round-ups of brown-skin people around the country in in recent days. Reynolds, a Republican and ardent Trump supporter, said the sheriff would be overstepping his authority if he doesn’t cooperate with federal immigration raids. Reynolds has no authority to remove Marx. As sheriff, he is elected by the people of Decorah and surrounding areas along the Minnesota border. Reynold’s threat is a backdoor attempt to pressure Marx. Reynolds based her great on a 2018 Iowa law:
“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. Iowa law further requires that a sheriff shall not prohibit or discourage a law enforcement officer from assisting or cooperating with a federal immigration officer as reasonable or necessary, including providing enforcement assistance.”
The constitutionality of the 2018 law is itself questionable. The law appears to assume that so-called “detention writs” that the feds use in their sweeping raids are constitutionally valid. Marx’s point is that the writs, unlike search warrants, are an expedient shortcut to avoid a local judge’s signature on a search warrant– a historic requirement to assure that human rights aren’t violated. Why is Reynolds, in effect endorsing the shortcut? As a sheriff Marx is elected locally and is beyond Reynold’s direct reach as governor. Marx was elected to a third germ in 2024 by a 99% Winneshiek County landslide.
Reynolds. Her power play is out of the Trump playbook for wielding police forces, even recklessly, as a political tool. Her election margins as governor: 51% in 2018, 58% in 2022.