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Iowa ‘illegal reentry’ law remains blocked, but 8th Circuit questions injunction’s breadth

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Iowa ‘illegal reentry’ law remains blocked, but 8th Circuit questions injunction’s breadth


A federal judge did not err when finding an Iowa immigration enforcement law likely unconstitutional, a federal appellate court ruled.

But it is sending the case back to determine whether the state should nonetheless be allowed to enforce the law in some cases.

The Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ Oct. 23 decision upholds an injunction blocking Iowa from enforcing Senate File 2340, which Gov. Kim Reynolds signed in April 2024 to make “illegal reentry” a crime under state law.

In a lawsuit bought by the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, Judge Stephen Locher ruled last year that immigration enforcement is explicitly a federal responsibility and Iowa’s law is invalid under the U.S. Constitution.

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“As a matter of politics, the new legislation might be defensible,” Locher wrote in June 2024. “As a matter of constitutional law, it is not.”

Thursday’s decision is technically the second time the 8th Circuit has ruled against the law.

Originally, Iowa was sued twice: by Migrant Movement for Justice and the Biden Administration. Locher granted injunctions in both cases, and in January, the 8th Circuit affirmed his ruling in the DOJ lawsuit and dismissed the second injunction as duplicative.

Shortly after, though, the Trump administration dismissed the federal government’s challenge, and the court agreed to rehear and rule on the injunction in the Migrant Movement for Justice case.

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What did Iowa’s immigration law do?

Under the 2024 law, entering or residing in Iowa after being deported from or denied entry to the U.S. or failing to depart when ordered became a state offense. It followed a similar law Texas adopted, both of which have since been blocked by courts.

The Iowa law also required judges to order anyone convicted under the law to return to their country of origin.

In his order blocking the law, Locher identified several problems: Most glaringly, a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision found that state-level immigration laws interfere with and are preempted by federal immigration enforcement.

In the case of Iowa, Locher noted, having state judges order people to leave the country bypasses the extensive and often case- and country-specific federal system to decide when, how, and to where a person can be deported.

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“This creates an untenable dichotomy between federal and state law in an area where the Supreme Court has recognized that the United States must speak with a single, harmonious voice,” Locher wrote.

The law also does not make any exceptions for people with current legal resident status. That’s a problem for several of the plaintiffs in the Migrant Movement case, who at one time were deported or denied entry but later were able to obtain legal residency.

While Attorney General Brenna Bird said she did not intend to enforce the law against legal residents, Locher noted county prosecutors would not be bound by her statement.

8th Circuit finds law likely unconstitutional

In it’s ruling Thursday, the 8th Circuit once again upheld Locher’s reasoning.

Judge Duane Benton wrote for the court that Iowa’s law intrudes into federal immigration authority even further than the Arizona law struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012.

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Allowing state officials not only to detain people for suspected immigration violations, but to order them removed from the country, with a potential prison sentence of 10 years, greatly exceeds the state’s powers under the U.S. Constitution, the court found.

The court rejected Iowa’s arguments in defense of the law, finding that many ran contrary to the plain text of the statute.

For example, where Bird argued the law only required the state to deliver aliens to a “port of entry” — namely, the Des Moines airport — and would have no effect outside the state’s borders, the appeals court noted the law requires migrants to leave the entire country, not just the state, under penalty of prison.

“Any enforcement of the act would likely conflict with federal law by interfering with the enforcement discretion that federal law gives to federal officers,” Benton wrote. “(Plaintiffs) have clearly shown that their facial challenge is likely to succeed on the merits because every application of the Act stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress.”

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Yes, but: to whom does the injunction apply?

Locher’s injunction blocked any state agent, including county prosecutors, from enforcing the law against anyone. That may be too broad, the appellate court says.

In a June 2025 case against Donald Trump, the U.S. Supreme Court significantly limited the use of “universal injunctions” that apply beyond the parties in a particular case.

In light of that ruling, the 8th Circuit is directing Locher to consider whether he has authority to block enforcement by all state officers, as opposed to just those named in the lawsuit, and whether the law can be enforced against individuals who are not members of Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice.

Regardless of how the injunction may be modified, the lawsuit is likely to continue.

Locher’s June 2024 order put in place a preliminary injunction, blocking the state from enforcing the law while the case progressed. Barring further appeals, Thursday’s appellate decision means the case will continue before Locher for further proceedings before the court could potentially make its injunction permanent.

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William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.



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Two Iowans sentenced to prison for creating child pornography

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Two Iowans sentenced to prison for creating child pornography


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Two Iowans will spend decades in federal prison after pleading guilty to separate child exploitation offenses.

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Martin Menjivar, 59, of Iowa City, was sentenced Thursday, March 26, to 42 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and child pornography possession. It comes days after Pry’Shayn Mosley, 21, of Fort Dodge was sentenced to 25 years for exploitation and receipt of child pornography.

Iowa City man picked up children from school, abused them

Menjivar, a citizen of Honduras, was charged in May 2025. In court filings, prosecutors say Menjivar was entrusted to pick up children, some as young as 5, from their elementary school and bring them to his wife’s home for after-school babysitting. In at least two cases, Mejivar used that access to get children alone and touch them inappropriately, recording the interaction on video.

Investigators reportedly found dozens of illicit images and videos on Menjivar’s electronic devices. Menjivar also previously worked as a school photographer in Honduras, and investigators found he had hundreds of photos from his former employment that focused on children’s clothed genitals.

“Defendant’s horrific actions of creating and collecting child pornography show violence against young, vulnerable children and a severe danger to the community,” prosecutors wrote in presentence filings.

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Menjivar also has been charged in Johnson County with second-degree sexual abuse against two different children, apparently in relation to the same conduct. That case remains pending, with a plea hearing scheduled in May.

Fort Dodge man gets 25 years for enticing children

Mosley, who was sentenced March 23, was charged in January 2025. Prosecutors alleged that in 2022, he enticed two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct, photographed or recorded it, and distributed the resulting pornography to others, including additional children.

In addition, during a warrant search that located drugs, guns and electronic devices containing child pornography, Mosley tried to get a juvenile at the scene to conceal drugs from the investigators.

Mosley pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation and receiving child pornography. Additional drug, pornography and exploitation charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal.

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Menjivar was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, while Mosley’s case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa. Attorneys for Menjivar and Mosley did not immediately return messages Thursday seeking comment.

William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.



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Jada Williams among eight Iowa State players headed to transfer portal

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Jada Williams among eight Iowa State players headed to transfer portal


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Iowa State’s first-round exit from the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament has triggered a mass exodus, with a reported eight players leaving the team to enter the transfer portal.

Junior forward Addy Brown announced her decision to “move on” from Iowa State and enter the transfer portal in a social media post on Tuesday, March 24.

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“This decision comes after a lot of thought about my future and goals,” Brown wrote in a post shared to social media. “While it’s never easy to move on, I believe this is the right step for me and I’m excited for what’s ahead as I continue to grow and chase my dreams.”

By Thursday, March. 26, several other players followed suit. Junior guard Jada Williams confirmed she’ll be “pursuing my dreams elsewhere” for her senior season. She added in a social media post, “Iowa State will always have a place in my heart and I’ll never forget the Iowa State way.”

Williams transferred to Iowa State for the 2025-26 season after playing for Arizona for the first two years of her career. William averaged career-highs in points (15.3), assists (7.7) and field goal percentage (41.7) in her lone season at Iowa State.

Iowa State freshman guard Reese Beaty, freshman guard Freya Jensen, sophomore guard Reagan Wilson, sophomore guard Aili Tanke, junior forward Alisa Williams and junior center Lilly Taulelei all intend to enter the transfer portal, according to On3’s Talia Goodman.

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The transfer portal opens on Monday, April 6, following the NCAA Tournament championship game on Sunday, April 5.

Could Iowa State junior center Audi Crooks be next? Crooks declined to answer whether she would return next season following Iowa State’s 72-63 loss to Syracuse on Saturday, March 21. She instead said, “We’re all still processing everything and just being there for each other right now is the priority. That’s the main thing, making sure everybody is mentally OK through this tough time.”

Crooks had 37 points (17-of-25 FG) and five rebounds in the losing effort against Syracuse.

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@usatoday.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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