We owe it to survivors, victims, and the American people to get dangerous attackers off our streets, and this amendment would ensure these criminals will be detained and deported before they can do further harm.
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced an amendment to the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion Budget Resolution that would fund the mandatory removal of illegal immigrants convicted of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking as defined under the Violence Against Women Act:
“There is a domestic violence epidemic in the United States, and immigrant women experience abuse at an even higher rate than those born in the U.S.,” said Sen. Cornyn. “We owe it to survivors, victims, and the American people to get dangerous attackers off our streets, and this amendment would ensure these criminals will be detained and deported before they can do further harm.”
Background:
This amendment would create funding for legislation to:
- Remove illegal immigrants convicted of crimes of violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking, as defined in the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.
- Detain illegal immigrants charged with such offenses.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 10 million adults experience domestic violence in the United States each year. Sixty percent of individuals convicted of domestic violence are rearrested within two years, and 67 percent of those are rearrested for another domestic violence offense, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
A study in New York City found that 51 percent of intimate partner homicide victims were born outside the United States, while 45 percent were U.S.-born. According to the National Organization for Women, abuse rates among immigrant women are as high as 49.8 percent.
Thousands of illegal immigrants removed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have committed domestic violence offenses. In Fiscal Year 2020, illegal immigrants administratively arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations had the following convictions and charges related to domestic violence:
- Sexual assault: 3,051 convictions, 1,334 charges
- Sex offenses generally: 4,184 convictions, 1,733 charges
- Family offenses: 2,336 convictions, 1,880 charges