Aggravated sexual violence isn’t a deportable offense under current U.S. Immigration Law; bill addresses shortcoming
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith is cosponsoring the BE GONE Act, or the Better Enforcement of Grievous Offenses by un-Naturalized Emigrants Act, which would correct a shortcoming in the nation’s immigration law. The legislation addresses the fact that sexual assault and other forms of aggravated sexual violence are not deportable offenses under the current U.S. immigration Law of 1965.
The legislation states that it would, “include sexual assault and aggravated sexual violence in the definition of aggravated felonies under the Immigration and Nationality Act in order to expedite the removal of aliens convicted of such crimes.”
“More and more we hear about sexual predators being discovered among the already alarming surge of migrants crossing our southern border. It’s clear President Biden and his administration have embraced a lax approach to border security and immigration law enforcement, which makes enacting this legislation to block sexual predators all the more critical,” Hyde-Smith said.
Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) authored the BE GONE Act and the bill currently has 15 cosponsors.
“Under the Biden Administration, our immigration system is strained to its limits, all by crises born out of their own mistakes. A key challenge and easy fix we must address immediately is ensuring sexual predators and criminals are identified, stopped, and deported,” said Senator Joni Ernst. “This measure is a commonsense solution to modernize the immigration system and combat sexual violence and those seeking to exploit our laws.”
Senators Marsh Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) are also cosponsor of this legislation.
