The GOP-controlled Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill Wednesday requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) must be notified when an illegal immigrant is caught committing a crime in Pennsylvania.
It’s just the latest legislation passed by state Senate Republicans addressing the impacts of the massive surge of illegal immigration into the U.S. — all opposed by their Democratic counterparts.
“We have seen far too many murders and violent crimes committed by illegal migrants with multiple prior arrests by various law enforcement agencies across the country,” said Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie), one of the bill’s sponsors. “U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows hundreds of homicides and thousands of other serious crimes committed by illegal migrants – some of whom were already facing criminal charges or had previous convictions – during just the past three years. This is unconscionable and must be remedied.”
Supporters of the legislation pointed to high-profile cases like Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at the University of Georgia, who was murdered during her morning run, allegedly by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela. He had been repeatedly arrested for minor crimes before he allegedly killed Riley.
Senate Democrats like Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia) opposed the legislation, claiming the reporting mandate would not protect the people of Pennsylvania.
“It will have no impact on community safety. In fact, it will likely harm efforts to improve safety,” Saval said.
Democrats also opposed the “Keeping Our Communities Safe” legislation, which would place restrictions on the forms of bail available to fentanyl dealers and other particularly dangerous criminals. That legislation is in response to the case of Carlos Pichardo Cepeda, who was granted nonmonetary bail after being caught in Pittsburgh with nine kilograms — or 450,000 doses — of fentanyl.
“Last year in Allegheny County, there was a case where an individual was granted release on non-monetary bail despite being apprehended with 450,000 doses of fentanyl – enough to kill more than a third of Pennsylvania’s population,” lead sponsor Sen. Devlin Robinson (R- Allegheny) said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable for dangerous criminals to wander freely in our communities. This legislation will ensure these most dangerous individuals won’t be released back into our communities.”
In recent weeks, state Senate Democrats have also opposed a resolution urging President Joe Biden to “provide the needed policies and resources to protect American citizens” from the impacts of illegal immigration, and calling on Gov. Josh Shapiro to send Pennsylvania National Guardsmen to the southern border to help stop the flow of illegal immigrants and deadly drugs.
“It’s unconscionable to see a majority of Senate Democrats vote against these critical reforms,” Pennsylvania Senate Republican Campaign Committee Communications Director Michael Straw said in a statement. “Working to keep fentanyl off our streets and securing our border to stop the influx of dangerous drugs should not be a partisan issue.
“In Pennsylvania, 14 people die every day from overdoses. Senate Democrats have had numerous opportunities to stand for positive change. They have repeatedly failed.”
Biden took office, an estimated 10 million immigrants have entered the U.S. either as asylum seekers, recipients of temporary immigration parole or “gotaways” — illegal aliens spotted, but not detained, by border security. The vast majority of asylum requests don’t meet U.S. legal standards and will be rejected. However, millions of asylum seekers never appear for their hearings.
And some 200,000 deportation cases have been thrown out since Biden took office because his Department of Homeland Security (DHS) never filed the required Notice to Appear (NTA) with the Court by the time of the scheduled hearing.
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