"Is Winneshiek County a 'Sanctuary County'?"

David e-mails: "I see on a map of Iowa, displayed on CBS 2 in Cedar Rapids, that Winneshiek County is designated as a "sanctuary county."  When did the board of supervisors decide to release criminal illegal aliens back into the local community instead of turning them over to ICE for deportation, as federal law requires?  I don't remember any reporting on this issue.  Was it one of those meetings you were not invited to?"

Mr. Answer Person says: "It took some work to unpack what's going on here, but I think I have the answer.  CBS 2 in Cedar Rapids used a map prepared by a lobbying group, "Center for Immigration Studies."  That group declared Winneshiek County a "sanctuary county" based on one factor—and only one factor--that the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office requires a judge to issue a warrant for deputies to pick up someone wanted by ICE.

What "Center for Immigration Studies" doesn't explain is that the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Department requires a judge to issue a warrant FOR ANYONE TO BE PICKED UP!  That's because the fourth amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits unreasonable seizures and requires a warrant issued by a judge who rules there is probable cause to take someone into custody.

In other words, this has nothing to do with immigration.  Also, there hasn't been a county board resolution making the county a "Sanctuary County" because supervisors have never even considered such a proposal.

CBS 2 in Cedar Rapids should have checked a little further before they used the map by the "Center for Immigration Studies."