Cornyn pushes 'zero mercy' law to deport illegal immigrants convicted of deadly drunk driving
FIRST ON FOX: Several lawmakers led by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, want to impose penalties against illegal immigrants convicted of deadly drunk driving incidents at the federal level, triggering deportation...
By Fox News · Fox News
FIRST ON FOX: Several lawmakers led by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, want to impose penalties against illegal immigrants convicted of deadly drunk driving incidents at the federal level, triggering deportation and preventing return to the United States. Cornyn’s legislation would expand federal immigration law to treat serious drunk driving offenses that cause death or serious bodily injury as "aggravated felonies." "Zero mercy should be shown to illegal aliens who not only defy our laws by unlawfully entering the country, but also take it a step further to drive drunk, threatening American lives," Cornyn said in a statement to Fox News Digital. CAIR'S TAX-EXEMPT STATUS TARGETED AS CORNYN MOVES TO STRIP GROUP AFTER TERROR DESIGNATIONS "By strengthening current immigration law to hold these offenders accountable, our bill sends a clear message: If you enter the country illegally and harm innocent citizens, we will find you, we will punish you, and we will make sure you never step foot on American soil again," he continued. The measure, dubbed the Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act, would add driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while impaired (DWI) offenses under the umbrella of the Immigration and Nationality Act , a law enacted in the 1950s that acts as the keystone for immigration laws in the country. That decades-old law governs visas, green cards, and citizenship, among several other immigration enforcement matters. SHERIFF SLAMS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FOR RELEASING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO ALLEGEDLY HIT OHIO NURSE Cornyn’s measure would specifically add new aggravated offenses to the preexisting law that would lead to deportation , prevention of re-entry into the country and make a person ineligible for most forms of immigration relief if convicted. Those offenses, specifically geared toward non-citizens, include convictions of DUI or DWI that resulted in death or serious bodily injury. Notably, the proposed legislation would enact the new penalties re…