*The Winneshiek County Sheriff in Iowa says his department will not be helping Immigration and Customs Enforcement detain residents.
In a statement released on social media Monday, Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx wrote that he was concerned about the constitutionality of ICE’s actions in his county.
He said, “If their actions or paperwork are not within constitutional parameters, then we will make every effort to block, interfere and interrupt their actions from moving forward.”
Marx justified his department’s position by claiming that detainers are a constitutional violation, saying they are issued because federal agencies haven’t taken the time to get a valid judicial warrant.
He wrote, “Simply put, they are not sure they are detaining the right person and need more time to figure it out.”
In response, Governor Kim Reynolds has released a statement saying Marx’s actions would violate state law and has threatened to withdraw state funds to the department if it does not comply.
Sightings of ICE officers in Iowa have set off rumors of large-scale immigration raids. While those rumors have been unfounded, many worry about what might happen next.
*In South Dakota, from Sioux Falls to Huron to Rapid City, the state is experiencing the effects of the efforts by President Donald Trump to crack down on illegal immigration.
According to South Dakota News Watch, Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead said he’s seen a significant uptick in immigrants with criminal charges being detained in the Sioux Falls jail. Milstead said he believes many more illegal immigrants in the state are also being arrested, detained and sent out of state for processing.
Immigration attorney and advocate Taneeza Islam said legal immigrants in South Dakota are worried they may be mistakenly swept up in the immigration crackdown. A Huron businesswoman shared much the same sentiment – that the national crackdown has put immigrants on edge regardless of their legal or visa status.
South Dakota Republican Congressman Dusty Johnson said legal immigrants in the U.S. and South Dakota should not be worried as only criminals are being targeted for detainment or deportation.
*In other news, Sioux City is among 18 Iowa communities that have been awarded a combined total of more than $8 million in grants to advance water quality projects.
Sioux City will receive $500,000 as part of its $320 million wastewater plant project. Another Northwest Iowa town, Estherville, will receive $500,000 for a $2.2 million drinking water project.
The funding is made available through the Wastewater and Drinking Water Treatment Financial Assistance Program.
Since 2018, the program has assisted 82 Iowa communities through a total of $34 million in grants.
*Additionally, community forums will be held Thursday for people to speak with the two finalists for the Sioux City School District superintendent.
The Sioux City School Board has pinpointed Juan Cordova and Corey Seymour as the two finalists.
Cordova is the assistant superintendent of instruction for Hazelwood School District in Florissant, Missouri. Seymour is superintendent of schools for Clear Creek Amana Community School District in Oxford, Iowa.
Community forums will be at the downtown Sioux City School District administrative building, with one at 5:15 p.m. and the other at 6:30 p.m.
The school board is working to pick a successor for Superintendent Rod Earleywine, who is departing after three years in June. More than 20 people applied for the post, then seven people were interviewed in closed session over two days last week.
The Sioux City School District educates 14,500 students.
*In other education news, Governor Kim Reynolds’ proposal to ban cell phone use during instructional time in schools is advancing in the Iowa Senate.
Individual schools could adopt stricter policies, but the governor’s bill sets a baseline.
School districts would have to adopt mobile phone policies starting the 2025-2026 school year. Students in sixth through eighth grades would also have to learn about the effects of social media.
Dave Daughton represents School Administrators of Iowa and Rural School Advocates of Iowa. Dauhton said the state needs to make sure schools have sample policies and professional development before they have to enforce the bill.
Students with health issues or disabilities could also receive exemptions to the ban on personal devices.
