Midwest
Justice Department warns it plans to sue Iowa over new state immigration law
The U.S. Department of Justice has told Iowa’s top officials it plans to sue the state over a new law making it a crime for a person to be in Iowa if they’ve previously been denied admission to the U.S.
The statute interferes with the federal government’s authority to enforce immigration law, according to the DOJ, which already sued Texas to block a similar measure.
GOP GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL ALLOWING LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO ARREST CERTAIN MIGRANTS, ‘ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS’
The DOJ informed Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and state Attorney General Brenna Bird that it intends to sue unless the state agrees by May 7 not to enforce the law, according to a letter sent Thursday and first reported on by the Des Moines Register.
Bird indicated Friday that the state is unlikely to agree to the federal terms.
People march during an Iowa Movement for Migrant Justice rally and march, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
“Iowa will not back down and stand by as our state’s safety hangs in the balance,” she said in a statement.
The similar Texas law is on hold due to the Justice Department’s court challenge. Legal experts and some law enforcement officials have said the Iowa law poses the same questions raised in the Texas case because enforcing immigration law has historically fallen to federal authorities.
The Iowa law violates the U.S. Constitution because it “effectively creates a separate state immigration scheme,” the Justice Department said in its letter.
The law, which goes into effect on July 1, would allow criminal charges to be brought against people who have outstanding deportation orders or who previously have been removed from or denied admission to the U.S. Once in custody, migrants could either agree to a judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted.
The law has elevated anxiety in Iowa’s immigrant communities, leading to protests in Des Moines and other cities Wednesday.
Republicans across the country have accused President Joe Biden of neglecting his duty to enforce federal immigration law.
“The only reason we had to pass this law is because the Biden Administration refuses to enforce the laws already on the books,” Reynolds said in a statement Friday.
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Missouri sportsbooks took $256,364,814 in wagers in May 2026, the lowest monthly handle since the market launched, yet operators posted their strongest revenue month yet at $21,250,814 on an 8.29% hold. The state collected $2,131,872 in tax. Six months after going live on December 1, 2025, Missouri has flipped the usual relationship between volume and revenue: handle keeps settling while revenue keeps climbing, because hold has risen steadily as the launch-period promotions fade. Online betting made up $252,593,427, or 98.53% of all wagers. Figures come from the Missouri Gaming Commission.
Missouri Sports Betting by Month, Since Launch
| Month | Handle | Online | Retail | GGR | Hold | State Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2025 | $543,039,131 | $538,881,520 | $4,157,612 | $20,758,443 | 3.82% | $521,201 |
| January 2026 | $385,138,868 | $380,412,197 | $4,726,670 | $6,703,555 | 1.74% | $137,873 |
| February 2026 | $277,005,418 | $273,285,304 | $3,720,114 | $10,301,007 | 3.72% | $1,214,627 |
| March 2026 | $329,355,588 | $324,060,170 | $5,295,418 | $20,757,550 | 6.30% | $2,178,985 |
| April 2026 | $273,397,863 | $269,884,804 | $3,513,059 | $20,284,270 | 7.42% | $2,028,427 |
| May 2026 | $256,364,814 | $252,593,427 | $3,771,387 | $21,250,814 | 8.29% | $2,131,873 |
Six Months In, Revenue Sets a Record
May marks a milestone worth pausing on. Missouri’s revenue reached its highest point yet even though its handle sank to a new low, a sign the market has moved past the giveaway-heavy launch phase and into steadier economics. Across its first six months, the state has now taken roughly $2.06 billion in total wagers, produced about $100.1 million in operator revenue, and delivered $8.2 million in tax. Crossing $100 million in cumulative revenue in half a year underlines how quickly Missouri established itself as a mid-sized market.
Handle Settles as the Launch Surge Fades
The volume side keeps normalizing. December’s $543 million opening was inflated by launch-day demand and heavy sign-up promotions, and handle has stepped down almost every month since, landing at $256.4 million in May, less than half that peak. Part of the decline is seasonal, with the sports calendar thinning as the basketball and hockey postseasons wind down and football stays months away. Part is simply the novelty wearing off. Mobile sportsbooks in Missouri continue to carry the market almost entirely, at 98.53% of May handle, a share that has held above 98% in every month since launch.
The Hold Keeps Climbing
The defining trend is the win rate. Hold ran at 3.82% in December, bottomed at 1.74% in January, then rose in four straight steps to 3.72%, 6.30%, 7.42%, and 8.29% in May. That climb is the engine behind the record revenue: as operators pull back the free bets and bonus play that suppressed early margins, more of each wagered dollar sticks. An 8.29% hold is still below the double-digit figures common in older markets, which suggests Missouri’s margin has further room to firm up as the market matures.
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LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Like his father, Zack Erstad is a Husker. Erstad, the son of Hall of Fame baseball player Darin Erstad, joined the Nebraska men’s golf program on Tuesday.
Zack signed with the Huskers one month after winning a state championship at Lincoln East. With the Spartans, Erstad was a two-time NSAA champion. He was Class A’s individual runner-up in 2026. The previous year, Erstad claimed the Nebraska Junior PGA Championship title.
Erstad said joining the Huskers is a dream come true. The Nebraska newcomer grew up playing baseball and hockey. However, he focused solely on golf while in high school.
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BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Rounds of severe thunderstorms impacted many parts of North Dakota in June.
June 3 saw damaging straight-line winds in Rolette County, estimated up to 95 mph based on the damage observed.
June 7 brought two tornadoes to northern North Dakota, one of which caused damage to a property. The complexes of storms that Sunday evening also caused extensive wind damage, with 80-100 mph gusts estimated in many towns.
June 9 delivered more damaging wind, especially to the town of Sawyer, where lots of trees were knocked down. 90 mph winds were estimated there, as well as in rural northwest McHenry County at a property that sustained damage.
- Storm cleanup underway in Sawyer as questions raised over warning siren
- Sawyer declares wind emergency as storm cleanup continues
After a break from widespread severe thunderstorms in the middle of the month, the final weekend of June brought more activity.
A tornado touched down north of Belfield on June 27, doing damage to a property. Meanwhile, another swath of damaging winds moved across the region, with western ND seeing the worst of it. Damage west of Williston was estimated to be caused by near 100 mph winds.
- NWS completes surveys of tornado & t-storm wind damage from the weekend
- Severe weather causes damage, displaces residents in Williston area
June 28 also saw a tornado touch down near Riverdale and Coleharbor amid another severe weather outbreak, bringing the month’s tornado total to five.
Hail was also a common threat during the month, with June 29 delivering large hail to towns like Mandan, north Bismarck, and Max.
Copyright 2026 KFYR. All rights reserved.
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