Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik today is introducing legislation to block and deport immigrants trying to enter the U.S. who have been convicted of sexual assault.
Earlier this month, Senator Joni Ernst authored the companion bill in the Senate.
“We are witnessing a border crisis of historic proportions,” Stefanik said. “The Biden Administration’s open-border policies are allowing the highest number of illegal border crossings through our Southern Border in over 30 years. We must work to ensure sex criminals are stopped and deported immediately for the safety of our citizens. Border security is national security, and I am proud to work to keep our communities safe.”
“Our nation is facing a border and immigration crisis of historic proportions, whether President Biden and Democrats would like to admit it or not. It’s far past time the Biden Administration steps up to address the reality of the crisis at our border, and one easy fix is to ensure sexual predators and criminals are identified, stopped, and deported,” said Senator Joni Ernst, a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence. “My BE GONE Act is gaining support and momentum because it is exactly the commonsense solution we need right now to modernize the immigration system and combat sexual violence and those seeking to exploit our laws.”
Specifically, the BE GONE Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 to include sexual abuse, sexual assault, and aggravated sexual violence as crimes that would disqualify foreign applicants for residence in the United States. This measure would also make resident immigrants who are not citizens deportable.
“Having triggered and mismanaged a border crisis on top of a refusal to enforce immigration laws in American communities, it is clear that the Biden Administration does not prioritize public safety. Senator Ernst and Congresswoman Stefanik do, however. Their bill would keep sexual predators out of the country and off our streets. I’m proud to support it,” said Mark Morgan, Former Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“Every day the Biden Administration makes it harder for ICE to detain and remove those here illegally – including criminals – leading to dangerous events like the train assault in Philadelphia. To address this, Senator Ernst and Congresswoman Stefanik are trying to change current law to ensure that sexual predators are identified, stopped, and deported. I support the BE GONE Act and encourage every lawmaker to cosponsor right away,” said Tom Homan, Former Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“We applaud Senator Ernst and Congresswoman Stefanik for introducing commonsense, well-timed legislation to ensure that sexual predators are deportable and inadmissible. Not only should sexual predators ‘be gone,’ so should Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi’s indefensible opposition to every immigration bill that seeks to enhance enforcement or secure the border. This bill should be voted on immediately. Enough is enough,” said RJ Hauman, Head of Government Relations at the Federation for American Immigration.
Fifty-eight members of the House joined Stefanik in cosponsoring this legislation.
