Under a new Iowa immigration bill, employers that repeatedly employ illegal aliens would face civil penalties of up to $10,000 and up to a year in jail under legislation being proposed in the legislature. Employers would be exempt from penalties if they seek verification of a worker’s citizenship status through the Department of Homeland Security’s verification system. But many employers complain that system is dreadfully slow.
House File 2026 has sparked significant debate. Democrats claim it is a human rights issue. Republicans claim it is pure politics in an election year and intended to protect unions while harming non-unionized independent contractors. The Hispanic community in particular has great fears that jobs will no longer be available in Iowa under the new law.
This bill may have the biggest impact on Iowa businesses this legislative season. Read House File 2026 here.