Iowa law lets police arrest migrants. The federal government and civil rights groups are suing

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department sued Iowa on Thursday over its new law that would give the state the authority to arrest and deport some migrants, making it the second lawsuit filed in a single day that seeks to block legislation passed earlier this year by state lawmakers.

Both the Justice Department’s lawsuit and another suit filed by civil rights and immigrant rights groups argued the state law was preempted by federal law and should be declared invalid.

“Iowa cannot disregard the U.S. Constitution and settled Supreme Court precedent,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said in a statement. “We have brought this action to ensure that Iowa adheres to the framework adopted by Congress and the Constitution for regulation of immigration.”

The federal action was expected, as the Department of Justice warned Iowa’s top officials last week that the agency would sue unless they agreed not to enforce the new law. The law is similar to a more expansive Texas statute that has been challenged by both the Justice Department and civil rights groups.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«READ MORE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> READ MORE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Two shootings, two different responses — Maine restricts guns while Iowa arms teachers </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Iowa asks state Supreme Court to let its restrictive abortion law go into effect </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Two shootings, two different