Iowa Governor Prepares National Guard for ICE Support

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced on Wednesday that members of the state’s National Guard are getting ready to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). While specifics haven’t been finalized yet, Reynolds did indicate that the Iowa State Guard stands ready to lend support to administrative tasks.

Speaking in Cedar Rapids, Reynolds, a Republican, mentioned that there have been discussions with Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem regarding assistance. “What we really saw is logistics and processing is probably how we look to help from a state perspective,” she stated, hinting at the kind of support the National Guard could provide.

Reynolds noted that as of now, it’s unclear how many states are contributing service members to the effort. “We’ve been stepping up and helping, and we’ve said we haven’t yet confirmed anything, but we’re… considering helping us in some way that we can,” she added during a press briefing.

Meanwhile, the organization Escucha Mi Voz, focused on immigration issues and rooted in faith, expressed concerns over the potential deployment, describing it as a “morally vulnerable” action and a violation of civil liberties and constitutional rights.

Additionally, the National Guard from five states, including Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Georgia, and Florida, have also received directives to assist ICE with enforcement measures, according to a memo reviewed by the New York Times.