Democratic Senator Blocks Bill That Would Require Detainment of Illegal Immigrants Charged with Violent Crimes
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
Every day, Democratic leaders prove their party has embraced lawlessness.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa sought a March 6 floor vote on a bill that would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain illegal immigrants who have been charged with a violent offense, Fox News reported.
The need for such legislation has been highlighted by recent incidents such as illegal migrants’ assault on New York police officers and the murder of college student Laken Riley, allegedly by an illegal alien.
Unfortunately, not everyone in the Senate saw the importance of this bill like Ernst did.
Her unanimous consent request was blocked by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, completely halting it in its tracks.
The Republican senator fought for a vote on the bill, emphasizing the importance of protecting innocent lives from criminals who are in this country illegally.
Ernst even attempted to quell concerns from Democrats about the legislation, saying, “It would merely require ICE to detain, just to detain, otherwise deportable illegal immigrants charged with killing or seriously injuring another person.”
The senator spoke of the namesake of the bill, dubbed “Sarah’s Law”: Sarah Root, a 21-year-old Iowa woman whose life was cut short in 2016 by Edwin Mejia, an illegal immigrant who was drinking and driving, according to police.
“Citing the Obama administration’s November 2014 memo on immigration enforcement priorities, ICE declined to take custody of Mejia despite his repeated driving offenses and history of skipping court dates,” Ernst said.
Mejia was able to post bail and never came to court. He disappeared and remains a fugitive.
The senator also spoke of Riley’s murder last month, which she said “did not have to happen” but is “doomed to be repeated” unless something changes.
Sadly, her arguments fell on deaf ears as Durbin claimed the legislation would “deprive immigrants of the due process that everyone is afforded,” Fox News reported.
The Illinois Democrat’s justification ultimately makes little sense.
The bill does nothing to deprive illegals of due process — it merely works to ensure they can be held accountable for their actions, something lacking at the moment.
When these criminal immigrants can simply leave the country never to be seen again after being accused of violent crimes, it deprives the victims of the justice they deserve.
Democratic leaders have proved time and time again that their priority is not the American people.
Hopefully, one day things will change and measures will be taken to ensure no more lives are lost to illegal immigrants.
Until then, the American people have the Democratic Party to thank for how things are now.
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