Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) has introduced legislation amending the Immigration and Nationality Act to bar immigrants who’ve committed violent and sexual crimes against women from entering the United States. It would also allow for the deportation of immigrants currently in the country convicted of the same offenses. The U.S. law — which governs immigration and citizenship requirements — hasn’t been updated in nearly 20 years.
“By preventing illegals with a history of sex offenses or domestic violence from entering our country and swiftly deporting those who have committed such crimes, we’re taking concrete steps to ensure that women can live free from fear and harm,” Rep. Mace told The National Pulse. She added: “We will always prioritize the safety and well-being of women in our communities, which should be a common-sense imperative for us all.”
The Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act would change the inadmissibility criteria in U.S. immigration law to include the prohibition on any immigrant “who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of a sex offense.” Immigrants who are deemed to have engaged in “a conspiracy to commit such an offense” would also be barred.
In addition, the legislation would bar entry to any immigrant “who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of a crime of domestic violence.” Immigrants already in the United States who are subsequently convicted of domestic violence or a sex offense would be open to deportation under Mace’s proposed changes.
