The House of Representatives on Thursday approved a measure to make it easier to deport or prohibit noncitizens convicted of drunk driving from receiving citizenship.
With the support of all 215 Republicans and 59 Democrats, the measure was approved by a vote of 274 to 150 on Feb. 1, moving forward to the Senate for approval.
DUI convictions are already subject to deportation in certain circumstances, and individuals aiming to obtain residency are currently made aware of the fact that such a conviction can impede the process of reestablishing their status.
“Every day in the United States, around 37 people die due to a drunk driver – that’s one person every 39 minutes. Drunk driving is a dangerous crime that not only puts the driver at risk, but everyone else on the road,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) wrote in a Jan. 28 note previewing the bill.
By explicitly defining DUI convictions as grounds for inadmissibility and removability, the legislation provides authorities with an additional tool to protect communities from dangerous criminal aliens. The bill aims to prevent further tragedies while holding individuals accountable for their actions.
The “Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act” addresses what Republicans referenced as the urgent need to safeguard American lives and prevent DUI-related accidents from causing further harm. It is expected to undergo further consideration in the Senate to become law and contribute to enhancing public safety across the United States.
However, the House-passed legislation addresses discrepancies between state and federal legislation that permit prior DUI convictions to be disregarded in immigration proceedings.
Additionally, it renders all misdemeanor DUI offenses grounds for deportation and inadmissibility for status adjustments.
If passed further, the legislation would also likely affect individuals who are already in the United States and are attempting to modify their status.
“With the seriousness of the crime and the potential deadly consequences, you would think that if an illegal immigrant was caught driving under the influence, they would be deported and barred from reentering the country – unfortunately, however, that is not always the case,” Mr. Scalise went on in his preview.
The criteria do not restrict the deportation of DUI offenders, but they do urge police to prioritize individuals who pose a danger to the public. The program also gives priority to deporting those who are seen as a danger to the nation’s or the border’s security.
Aside from the length of time since the crime, the seriousness of the crime, including any violent elements, and any “evidence of rehabilitation,” the paper also instructs authorities to take these factors into account when deciding whether to deport an individual.
According to the legislation, in 2021, alcohol-impaired fatalities surged by 14 percent, leading to 10,850 deaths on average each year between 2012 and 2021. Drunk drivers are involved in 31 percent of all crash deaths nationwide, posing a substantial threat to public safety.
Criminal and illegal aliens have not been exempt from these preventable accidents, and recent data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed that in fiscal year 2018, ICE arrested aliens with criminal histories that included 80,730 DUI-related charges and convictions.
In fiscal year 2019, this number remained alarmingly high at 74,523. However, in fiscal year 2022, under a perceived relaxation of immigration enforcement, the number plummeted to 26,238, allowing more illegal aliens with DUI-related charges and convictions to potentially re-offend.
“It’s common sense: Congress should uphold the rule of law and deport illegal immigrants who threaten the safety of our communities and pose a dangerous risk on the roads,” Mr. Scalise went on in his preview. “American families deserve our protection, and it’s our responsibility to deport and bar these migrants to keep our streets safe.”
From The Epoch Times
