The Trump administration has taken steps to dismiss lawsuits filed by the Biden administration’s Department of Justice against Iowa and Oklahoma. These lawsuits challenged the states’ immigration laws that criminalize being in the state while in the U.S. illegally. Republican leaders criticized President Biden for alleged failures in enforcing immigration law, leading Iowa and Oklahoma to enact similar laws enabling the arrest of individuals with deportation orders or prior removals from the U.S. The Biden administration had previously sued Texas, Iowa, and Oklahoma over their respective laws, with Texas’s law being briefly in effect last March before being halted by a federal appeals court.

The legality of Iowa and Oklahoma’s laws is under review, with concerns about potential infringement on federal immigration authority. Oklahoma’s Attorney General criticized the Biden administration’s opposition to the state’s law, attributing its necessity to border security issues. Former President Trump’s immigration policy, aimed at stricter enforcement and deportations, contrasts with the Biden administration’s legal stance in these cases.

Meanwhile, an immigrant rights group also sued Iowa over its law, leading to a recent decision by the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The court suggested that the lawsuit should be dismissed, citing the withdrawal of the federal government’s complaint. Legal proceedings continue, with Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice filing a petition for rehearing. Associated Press reporter Sean Murphy provided contributions to this report from Oklahoma City.