Iowa Republicans Reintroduce Sarah’s Law as GOP Closes to the Line

January 31 will mark nine years since 21-year-old Sarah Root was allegedly murdered by Edwin Mejia, an illegal immigrant who was driving under the influence of alcohol three times the legal limit. Mejia was released on bail more than a week after the incident due to a loophole in federal law, and authorities have not found him since.

Since 2016, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) has introduced a bill to enact “Sarah’s Law,” which would amend mandatory detention laws and require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain undocumented immigrants accused of killing or seriously injuring another person . On Monday, it will reintroduce new regulations.

“Sarah Root had her whole life ahead of her before it was senselessly taken away by someone who should never have been in this country,” Ernst said in an exclusive statement to the newspaper Washington Examiner. “Her family was forced to endure a nightmare without closure because a glaring loophole in the law allowed her killer to go on the run for almost nine years.”

Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) also brings a companion bill to the House. He originally sponsored the 2021 bill, but it stalled in a subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee.

If implemented, “Sarah’s Law” will work in conjunction with Laken Riley Actthe first bill was passed by the House in the 119th Congress. The legislation, named after a nursing student killed by an undocumented immigrant while jogging, would allow federal authorities to detain undocumented immigrants who have committed theft-related crimes.

“Sarah’s Law” and Laken Riley’s bill are part of a broader effort by House and Senate Republicans to address the illegal immigration and border crisis following decisive victories in the 2024 elections.

As President-elect Donald Trump enters the White House for his inauguration on January 20, Republicans will stage a trifecta in which several House GOP news bills blocked by Senate Democrats, will have a chance to reach the Oval Office for signature.

“For years, I have worked tirelessly to pass Sarah’s Law to honor her memory, hold illegal immigrants accountable who cause bodily harm to our citizens, and ensure it never happens again,” Ernst said. “I will not give up this fight for justice because our laws should not put illegal immigrants ahead of the safety of Americans.”

Republicans pledged to pass immigration and border legislation “on day one” during their 2024 campaigns. Democrats find themselves between a rock and a hard place on these bills because voters overwhelmingly chose the border as one of the most important issues in the 2024 election issues they think about when going to the polls.

Since Vice President Kamala Harris lost to Trump and lost majority control of the Senate, Democrats have been in a period of political reflection and rebuilding — particularly in policy areas like immigration.

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Laken Riley’s bill was passed by 48 Democrats in the House of Representatives, starting from 37 Democrats who voted for this bill during the last Congress. Legislation cleared the filibuster in the Senate a few days later 33 Democrats sided with Republicans voting to proceed to debate the bill, 84 to 9.

Time will tell whether “Sarah’s Law” will quickly become law. While the House could approve the bill out of committee and send it to the floor, the Senate will likely be bogged down by Trump’s Cabinet nominations and confirmation hearings, as well as the reconciliation bill being debated within the party.