Public employers, including state agencies, counties, local governments and the Legislature, will be required to verify the citizenship and work eligibility of all state workers and tighten hiring and licensing checks within Iowa schools under a sweeping immigration law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds Tuesday, June 2.
Senate File 2218 will require the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to require all applicants for licensure to provide proof of legal authorization to work in the United States, while school districts and accredited nonpublic schools must verify the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires.
The measure came in the wake of the immigration-related arrest of former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts in September 2025.
Early in the session, Reynolds established E-Verify checks for state employees as one of her legislative priorities.
In 2025, she signed an executive order directing all state agencies to use E-Verify, which checks new employees’ work authorization and Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, known as SAVE, to confirm the employment eligibility of state workers and the citizenship or immigration status of individuals seeking state-issued professional licenses.
The legislation will also create stricter bail standards for undocumented immigrants, require...
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