Des Moines, Iowa — The Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Des Moines held a prayer vigil Sunday night to oppose Iowa’s “illegal re-entry” immigration law that’s had a federal hearing on Monday.
The law that could take effect July 1st lets state and local officials arrest immigrants who were previously deported or denied entry into the US and order them to leave. Bishop William Joensen led a group of immigrants and supporters in praying that the law be stopped. He says it’s troubling that it would allow some immigrants with legal status to be prosecuted.
The state claims in legal documents that the law would NOT affect people with legal status. Marisol Guerra, a teacher from Honduras, says the law may not affect her, but it affects a lot of people she knows and loves.
The U.S. Department of Justice and civil rights groups sued the state to block the law from being enforced, and a federal judge is holding a hearing on that request today.
