Over 15,000 undocumented immigrants with sexual assault convictions are currently in the U.S. A new Republican-sponsored bill aims to require ICE to locate and deport them.
The legislation, known as the “Be Gone Act,” follows a report from the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who informed Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales that there are over 600,000 migrants with criminal records in the U.S. This number includes individuals admitted despite crimes in their home countries as well as those convicted domestically.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the bill to accelerate the deportation process for illegal immigrants found guilty of sexual assault and aggravated sexual violence. Ernst stated that these individuals should not have been allowed into the country and emphasized the need for action to protect communities.
The bill raises questions about how many of the 15,000 convicted migrants entered the U.S. during the Biden-Harris administration, which has seen record levels of illegal crossings and the release of large numbers of migrants with minimal vetting.
It remains unclear how many of these convicts are detained by other law enforcement agencies or how many are currently living freely. Federal data indicates that more than 8,000 of the approximately 37,000 migrants in ICE detention are convicted criminals, many awaiting immigration court proceedings or deportation.
ICE has noted that local sanctuary laws hinder their ability to apprehend criminal immigrants, as these policies can prevent cooperation between local jurisdictions and federal agents. ICE acting director Patrick Lechleitner pointed out that such laws might inadvertently protect dangerous individuals who pose a threat to the very communities they live in.
In addition to those convicted of sexual offenses, ICE reported around 13,000 undetained migrants with murder convictions. The Biden-Harris administration has faced scrutiny for record-high illegal border crossings, with over 2.2 million encounters in fiscal year 2022 alone.