Newsweek: Green Card Ban Proposed for Migrants in DUI Cases – Newsweek
A Republican lawmaker has introduced new legislation that would ban undocumented immigrants involved in serious drunk driving incidents from obtaining legal immigration status and green cards.
The Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act would require the deportation of undocumented immigrants convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) offenses that result in death or serious bodily injury. Representative Young Kim of California introduced the legislation on April 16.
The proposal would also classify such crimes as aggravated felonies under U.S. immigration law, making those individuals permanently ineligible for immigration benefits, including lawful permanent residency.
“Drunk driving destroys lives and tears families apart. When it involves illegal aliens who shouldn’t have been here in the first place, it’s entirely preventable,” Kim said in a news release. “This bill is simple and enforces what should already be common sense. If you enter our country illegally, get behind the wheel drunk, and hurt innocent Americans, you will be deported and never allowed back.”
Why It Matters
Traditionally, a simple DUI is generally not, by itself, a deportable offense under federal immigration law, but DUI-related convictions can still trigger immigration consequences depending on the facts of the case and the person’s status. The proposed legislation is in keeping with the Trump administration’s efforts to clamp down on both illegal and legal migration, which have restricted pathways to asylum and made it harder for immigrants to obtain green cards.
What To Know
The administration has also tightened rules around commercial driver’s licenses following a string of incidents involving migrants without legal status who were involved in fatal road accidents, a trend that has been cited by supporters of stricter enforcement as justification for additional safety measures.
“Illegal aliens who drive under the influence are a danger to our communities and must be held accountable. This legislation strengthens immigration law and ensures that illegal aliens committing these crimes can never enter our country and put Americans in danger again,” Representative David Joyce of Ohio said in a news release.
The Trump administration’s deportation program has included enforcement actions against immigrants with DUI convictions, with arrests and removals affecting some visa holders and lawful permanent residents where grounds for deportation could apply.
The administration has also moved to suspend or restrict visa processing for dozens of countries, halting or slowing approvals for certain applicants and adding further limits on access to green cards.
“Biden’s border crisis allowed millions of illegal immigrants to flood our southern border,” Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee said in a statement. “I’m proud to co-sponsor this legislation to increase penalties for any illegal immigrant convicted of a DUI.”
Representative Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania said in a news release, “Illegal immigrants who disrespect our laws and endanger American lives by driving while intoxicated deserve no mercy from our justice system.”
