Lankford, Cornyn, and Colleagues Introduce Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act
Legislation Would Make Illegal Aliens Who Drive Drunk Aggravated Felons & Subject to Stiff Criminal Penalties for Illegally Reentering the US
WASHINGTON, DC —US Senators James Lankford (R-OK), John Cornyn (R-TX), and colleagues today introduced the Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act, which would strengthen current immigration laws to ensure aliens who drive drunk and kill or seriously maim someone can be arrested, detained, and removed from the United States as aggravated felons and also permanently bar them from obtaining an immigration status like asylum or holding a Green Card.
“People who are not legally present in this country should be removed, especially if they have been convicted of driving under the influence. Federal law should be clear that no illegal alien should ever have a second DUI conviction,” said Lankford.
“Zero mercy should be shown to illegal aliens who not only defy our laws by unlawfully entering the country but also take it a step further to drive drunk, threatening American lives,” said Cornyn. “By strengthening current immigration law to hold these offenders accountable, our bill sends a clear message: If you enter the country illegally and harm innocent citizens, we will find you, we will punish you, and we will make sure you never step foot on American soil again.”
Background:
Lankford and Cornyn were joined by Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ted Budd (R-NC), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Kennedy (R-LA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK).
For decades, illegal alien drunk drivers have taken innocent American lives on our roadways. While current law requires such aliens be removed from the United States if convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated or impaired (DWI), there are many cases of the criminal illegal aliens reentering the interior and committing additional DUI and DWI crimes.
The Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act would help put a stop to this crisis and hold criminal illegal aliens accountable by making make DWIs and DUIs that result in death or serious bodily injury of another individual an aggravated felony under theImmigration and Nationality Act (INA), thus allowing the criminal alien offenders to be deported and precluding them from getting immigration status, including asylum and Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status.
The Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act is endorsed by the Border Trade Alliance, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and NumbersUSA.
###