Iowa governor threatens to pull funding from sheriff who says he will block ICE illegal alien detainers

An Iowa sheriff said that he would block detainers on illegal aliens from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the governor is threatening to take action against him.

Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx posted in a statement on social media that if he believed the ICE detainers were unconstitutional, he would work to block or interfere with the orders, according to KCRG-TV.

‘Our sole oath and allegiance are to the Constitution and the protection of an individual’s rights.’

Marx explained that he believed some detainers were infringing on the rights of the suspects.

“The only reason detainers are issued is because the federal agency does not have enough information or has not taken the time to obtain a valid judicial warrant,” he said on Facebook.

“For the person who could be held erroneously (or determined to be someone other than who ICE is seeking), there is a gross violation of rights at hand,” he said. “Specifically, these detainers are violations of our 4th Amendment protection against warrantless search, seizure and arrest, and our 6th Amendment right to due process.”

He went on to say that detainers might lead to citizens being unjustly jailed if ICE mistakes them for illegal aliens.

“Are you willing to sit in jail or a federal prison on an unconstitutional detainer with no right to due process until ICE clears your name? Or, if it were you or a loved one falsely arrested and/or detained, would you feel differently?” he asked.

“Our sole oath and allegiance are to the Constitution and the protection of an individual’s rights,” Marx added.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) responded by reminding the sheriff in a letter of the state law that prohibits law enforcement from discouraging enforcement of immigration law.

“lowa 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,” she added.

“Understand that a sheriff and county can become ineligible to receive any state funds if the local entity is found to have intentionally violated the provisions of chapter 27A,” she concluded.

President Donald Trump has said that he would implement mass deportations to alleviate the illegal alien crisis in the U.S.

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