Meeting Public Comments

Kathy Johnson

To the Honorable Members of the Legislative Body,I strongly urge a "no" vote on the bill that seeks to mandate state law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration and customs enforcement. This legislation is a clear overreach of federal authority and an infringement on the sovereignty of our state.It has come to my attention that the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a "hostage note" to the state of Minnesota, threatening to withdraw federal immigration enforcement if the state did not comply with certain demands. This is a disturbing example of the coercive tactics employed by the federal government to achieve its immigration agenda.Furthermore, I am writing to you today in the wake of the horrific murder of Alex Pretti, an emergency room nurse at the VA. This senseless tragedy is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of the federal government's failed immigration policies. As a nurse, Alex Pretti dedicated his life to caring for others, and his untimely death is a tragedy that could have been prevented if our immigration laws were enforced more effectively.In light of these events, I am compelled to speak out against this bill. The federal government's heavyhanded approach to immigration enforcement is not only an overreach of its authority but also a threat to public safety and the wellbeing of our citizens. I urge you to reject this bill and instead focus on building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Nancy Dugan [Select your title]

This legislature seeks to remove the power of judicial review to ensure that laws you enact are consistent with the Constitution: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=SJR2002. In my opinion, you introduce this legislation while simultaneously taking a torch to the Constitution. You have also introduced Senate File 2039: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=sf%202039 In my opinion, Senate File 2039 violates Article III, Section 1 of the Iowa Constitution (separation of powers). You may want to change it, but I believe it would require a Constitutional amendment, which to the best of my knowledge you have not proposed. Iowa Supreme Court Justice May also writes that the separation of powers is inherently a part of our U.S. constitution. Iowa Supreme Court Justice David May: https://iowaappeals.com/uncategorized/iowasupremecourtjusticedavidmaydiscussesseparationofpowersinjudicialbranchpodcastinterview/. Our Constitution takes this notion a step further by making the separation of powers explicit. Article III, Section 1 says that the powers of government shall be divided into the legislative and the executive and the judicial. And, then again, it says that no person charged with exercising the powers belonging to one shall exercise powers of another unless its expressly directed or permitted in the Constitution. In my opinion, this legislative body is in a constitutional crisis of its own making. You are harming the people, and the constitutions, you vowed to protect. Neither HJR 2002 nor Senate File 2039 should advance.

Mary Wolfe

Maybe just stop passing unconstitutional bills? Instead of attempting to amend our state constitution for the sole purpose of endowing the Iowa legislature with the ability/authority to pass unconstitutional bills w impunity? Ugh. (Note that I'm posting this comment while on my morning break from my govt job, using my personal phone)