"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.”
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), and colleagues in introducing the Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act. The legislation would strengthen current immigration laws to ensure that illegal aliens who drive drunk and kill or seriously injure someone can be arrested, detained, and removed from the United States as aggravated felons. Additionally, the bill would permanently bar those found guilty from obtaining an immigration status, such as asylum, or from holding a Green Card.
Sen. Cruz said, “This legislation closes a legal loophole that has prevented and would continue to prevent law enforcement from protecting Americans. It will directly contribute to making our communities safer, and I urge my colleagues to advance it without delay.”
Sen. Cornyn said, “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. 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.”
The Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act is endorsed by the Border Trade Alliance, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and NumbersUSA.
This legislation was cosponsored by Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).
Sen. Gallego said, “We can’t have a fair, orderly, and humane immigration system without clear rules that prevent dangerous criminals from remaining in our country. Drunk driving that results in severe injury or death is a serious and dangerous crime. Individuals who put lives at risk and endanger our communities should be held accountable.”
Sen. Budd said, “Driving under the influence of intoxicating substances can have serious life or death consequences, and any illegal alien who chooses to get behind the wheel in such a state should not remain in our country. I am proud to stand with Senator Cornyn and my colleagues to ensure that illegal aliens who commit such crimes are deported from and inadmissible to the U.S.”
Sen. Tillis said, “Illegal immigrants who drink and drive put innocent American lives at risk and should face serious consequences, including deportation. This legislation strengthens our laws to close dangerous loopholes and ensure those who commit serious criminal offenses are swiftly removed from our country.”
Sen. Lummis said, “The Trump administration is sending a clear signal to all criminal illegal aliens: you are not welcome in the United States. Too many American lives have been taken because illegal immigrants who should never have been in our country were driving under the influence on our roads. I am proud to support Senator John Cornyn’s legislation that puts public safety first, ends the cycle of excuses for criminal behavior, and ensures that illegal immigrants convicted of DUI are removed.”
Sen. Kennedy said, “It’s bad enough to commit a crime by crossing our border illegally—but it’s beyond inexcusable for illegal immigrants to put innocent people in harm’s way by driving under the influence. We’ve seen far too many American lives cut short by drunk drivers who shouldn’t even be in our country, and we ought to use every tool in our arsenal to make sure these tragedies never happen again. The Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act will ensure illegal immigrants who hurt or kill people by driving under the influence are met with the full force of the law, and I’m proud to help introduce it.”
Sen. Schmitt said, “Driving under the influence and entering the United States illegally are both crimes that pose serious danger to the lives and livelihoods of American citizens. Any illegal who is caught driving drunk is doing both and should be immediately deported and never allowed to re-enter the United States. Our immigration and transportation laws must be enforced.”
Sen. Lankford said, “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.”
Sen Mullin said, "This common-sense measure is long overdue. Too many lives have been lost to reckless, drunk and impaired drivers. We certainly shouldn't add to that tragic number by allowing illegal aliens to have a pass for endangering drivers on American roads. Illegal aliens convicted of driving drunk and harming our citizens have no place in this country. In fact, these criminals should move to the very FRONT of the deportation line and be on the first flight home. Full stop."
The Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act is endorsed by the Border Trade Alliance, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and NumbersUSA.
This legislation was cosponsored by Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).
Sen. Gallego said, “We can’t have a fair, orderly, and humane immigration system without clear rules that prevent dangerous criminals from remaining in our country. Drunk driving that results in severe injury or death is a serious and dangerous crime. Individuals who put lives at risk and endanger our communities should be held accountable.”
Sen. Budd said, “Driving under the influence of intoxicating substances can have serious life or death consequences, and any illegal alien who chooses to get behind the wheel in such a state should not remain in our country. I am proud to stand with Senator Cornyn and my colleagues to ensure that illegal aliens who commit such crimes are deported from and inadmissible to the U.S.”
Sen. Tillis said, “Illegal immigrants who drink and drive put innocent American lives at risk and should face serious consequences, including deportation. This legislation strengthens our laws to close dangerous loopholes and ensure those who commit serious criminal offenses are swiftly removed from our country.”
Sen. Lummis said, “The Trump administration is sending a clear signal to all criminal illegal aliens: you are not welcome in the United States. Too many American lives have been taken because illegal immigrants who should never have been in our country were driving under the influence on our roads. I am proud to support Senator John Cornyn’s legislation that puts public safety first, ends the cycle of excuses for criminal behavior, and ensures that illegal immigrants convicted of DUI are removed.”
Sen. Kennedy said, “It’s bad enough to commit a crime by crossing our border illegally—but it’s beyond inexcusable for illegal immigrants to put innocent people in harm’s way by driving under the influence. We’ve seen far too many American lives cut short by drunk drivers who shouldn’t even be in our country, and we ought to use every tool in our arsenal to make sure these tragedies never happen again. The Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act will ensure illegal immigrants who hurt or kill people by driving under the influence are met with the full force of the law, and I’m proud to help introduce it.”
Sen. Schmitt said, “Driving under the influence and entering the United States illegally are both crimes that pose serious danger to the lives and livelihoods of American citizens. Any illegal who is caught driving drunk is doing both and should be immediately deported and never allowed to re-enter the United States. Our immigration and transportation laws must be enforced.”
Sen. Lankford said, “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.”
Sen Mullin said, "This common-sense measure is long overdue. Too many lives have been lost to reckless, drunk and impaired drivers. We certainly shouldn't add to that tragic number by allowing illegal aliens to have a pass for endangering drivers on American roads. Illegal aliens convicted of driving drunk and harming our citizens have no place in this country. In fact, these criminals should move to the very FRONT of the deportation line and be on the first flight home. Full stop."
Read the bill text here.
BACKGROUND
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 criminal illegal aliens reentering the United States and committing additional DUI and DWI crimes.
The Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act would help address this crisis and hold criminal illegal aliens accountable by classifying DWIs and DUIs resulting in death or serious bodily injury as aggravated felonies under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), ensuring that criminal alien offenders are deported and precluded from getting immigration status, including asylum and Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status.
