The implementation of SB160 would modify the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act by adding stipulations for mandatory detention based on criminal charges. This means that aliens charged with crimes resulting in serious consequences must be apprehended, thereby influencing the state's immigration enforcement strategies. The bill emphasizes a stricter approach to dealing with individuals who potentially threaten community safety, thus prompting discussions on balancing immigration policy with crime control.
Summary
SB160, known as 'Sarah's Law', aims to mandate the detention of certain aliens charged with crimes resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Specifically, the bill requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to take into custody individuals who have been charged in the United States with such offenses. This legislative move underscores a heightened focus on public safety and accountability for individuals committing severe crimes, particularly concerning the immigration status of those charged.
Contention
Notably, the bill has drawn significant public discourse regarding its implications for civil rights and the treatment of immigrants in the judicial process. Critics argue that mandatory detention could lead to hasty actions against individuals without due consideration of their immigrant status or the nature of the charges. Additionally, the requirement for notifications to victims and their families adds another layer of complexity, as it may impact procedures within law enforcement and immigration agencies, igniting debates about bureaucratic efficiencies and ethical responsibilities.
Related
DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2023 Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2023 American Promise Act Transnational Criminal Organization Prevention and Elimination Act Protecting Sensitive Locations Act Dream Act Legal Workforce Act American Prosperity and Competitiveness Act H–2B Returning Worker Exception Act American Dream and Promise Act Border Security for America Act
Sarah's Law This bill requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) who is unlawfully present in the United States and has been charged with a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. ICE must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the identity of any victims of the crimes for which the detained individual was charged or convicted. ICE shall provide the victim, or a relative or guardian of a deceased victim, with information about the detained individual, including name, date of birth, nationality, immigration status, criminal history, and a description of any related removal efforts.
Secure the Border Act of 2023 This bill addresses issues regarding immigration and border security, including by imposing limits to asylum eligibility. For example, the bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to resume activities to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border; provides statutory authorization for Operation Stonegarden, which provides grants to law enforcement agencies for certain border security operations; prohibits DHS from processing the entry of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) arriving between ports of entry; limits asylum eligibility to non-U.S. nationals who arrive in the United States at a port of entry; authorizes the removal of a non-U.S. national to a country other than that individual's country of nationality or last lawful habitual residence, whereas currently this type of removal may only be to a country that has an agreement with the United States for such removal; expands the types of crimes that may make an individual ineligible for asylum, such as a conviction for driving while intoxicated causing another person's serious bodily injury or death; authorizes DHS to suspend the introduction of certain non-U.S. nationals at an international border if DHS determines that the suspension is necessary to achieve operational control of that border; prohibits states from imposing licensing requirements on immigration detention facilities used to detain minors; authorizes immigration officers to permit an unaccompanied alien child to withdraw their application for admission into the United States even if the child is unable to make an independent decision to withdraw the application; imposes additional penalties for overstaying a visa; and requires DHS to create an electronic employment eligibility confirmation system modeled after the E-Verify system and requires all employers to use the system.
Border Security and Enforcement Act of 2023 Legal Workforce Act Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2023 Visa Overstays Penalties Act Protection of Children Act of 2023 Ensuring United Families at the Border Act Border Safety and Migrant Protection Act of 2023 Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2023