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Checked against the record · Iowa Senate 2026

Was Josh Turek one of three Democrats to vote for Iowa's illegal reentry law?

Matches stated record claim. He, John Forbes and Kenan Judge were the only Democrats among the 64 ayes in March 2024 on the law making reentry after deportation a state crime.

Josh Turek

His vote on Iowa's 2024 illegal reentry law

Matches stated record claim

What they say

In the October 7 debate, Turek said he was one of three Democrats to vote with Republicans on an immigration bill, because people who come here illegally and commit violent crimes should not stay.

“I was one of three Democrats to vote with Republicans”

What the record shows ·

On March 19, 2024 the Iowa House passed Senate File 2340 64-30. The 64 ayes were 61 Republicans and three Democrats: Turek, John Forbes and Kenan Judge. The law makes it a state crime for a person who was refused entry to, or deported or removed from, the United States to enter or be found in Iowa, with stiffer penalties after some criminal convictions. The governor signed it on April 10, 2024.

Limit: He did not name the bill; this one fits what he described. The law covers anyone deported or refused entry before, not only people convicted of violent crimes.

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Sources6 source records

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  1. Iowa PBS debate, October 7: Turek on his immigration votehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQXwr856YrI&t=2172s

    Iowa PBS · Published Oct 7, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    36:12. The quoted words read the same in YouTube's captions and in Iowa PBS's own transcript.

    candidate statement

    For: Was Josh Turek one of three Democrats to vote for Iowa's illegal reentry law?

  2. Iowa Press Debates: U.S. Senate, transcripthttps://www.iowapbs.org/shows/iowapress/special/14524/iowa-press-debates-us-senate

    Iowa PBS · Published Oct 7, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    The host's own transcript of the October 7 debate, the second copy for quoted words.

    candidate statement

    For: Was Josh Turek one of three Democrats to vote for Iowa's illegal reentry law?

  3. Iowa House Journal, March 19, 2024, pages 622-623 (document)

    Iowa Legislature · Published Mar 19, 2024 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Roll call on Senate File 2340: ayes 64, nays 30; Turek, Forbes and Judge among the ayes.

    official legislative record

    For: Was Josh Turek one of three Democrats to vote for Iowa's illegal reentry law?

  4. Senate File 2340 (2024), bill historyhttps://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/billTracking/billHistory?billName=SF2340&ga=90

    Iowa Legislature · Published Apr 10, 2024 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Illegal reentry bill; passed the House 64-30 on March 19, 2024; signed by the governor April 10, 2024.

    official legislative record

    For: Was Josh Turek one of three Democrats to vote for Iowa's illegal reentry law?

  5. Senate File 2340, enrolled text (document)

    Iowa Legislature · Published Apr 10, 2024 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Section 2: entering or being found in Iowa after being denied admission to, or excluded, deported or removed from, the United States is a crime, with felony grades after some convictions.

    official legislative record

    For: Was Josh Turek one of three Democrats to vote for Iowa's illegal reentry law?

  6. Iowa House members, 90th General Assemblyhttps://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/house?ga=90

    Iowa Legislature · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Party of each member; of the 64 ayes on Senate File 2340, 61 are listed as Republicans and three (Forbes, Judge and Turek) as Democrats.

    official office record

    For: Was Josh Turek one of three Democrats to vote for Iowa's illegal reentry law?