Key Takeaways:
- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is suing Winneshiek County and Sheriff Dan Marx.
- The lawsuit accuses Marx of discouraging cooperation with federal immigration officials.
- Bird wants the county to lose state funding, even if Marx takes back his statements.
- Marx deleted a controversial Facebook post but didn’t issue a formal retraction.
Iowa AG Sues County Over Immigration Enforcement Stance
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is taking Winneshiek County and its sheriff, Dan Marx, to court. The lawsuit accuses Marx of breaking Iowa law by discouraging local law enforcement from working with federal immigration officials.
The Lawsuit Explained
Bird filed the lawsuit in March 2024, claiming Marx’s public statements violated Iowa Code Chapter 27A. This law requires local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
In February, Marx posted on Facebook that his office would reject certain requests from federal immigration officials. Specifically, he said he would not honor “detainer” requests unless they were vetted and approved by courts. Marx argued that such requests are often issued when federal agencies lack enough information or a valid judicial warrant.
Bird says Marx’s statements are problematic, even if they’re true. She argues that Iowa law prohibits local law enforcement from discouraging cooperation with federal immigration efforts, regardless of the reason.
The Dispute Over Funding
Bird is pushing for Winneshiek County to lose its state funding until Marx formally disavows his statements. She provided Marx with a specific statement to post, but Marx refused to use it. Instead, he deleted the Facebook post.
Bird says deleting the post isn’t enough. She claims Marx needs to publicly retract his statements to avoid funding cuts. Even if Marx complies now, Bird believes the law requires punishm