A North Carolina congressman was unsuccessful for a third time in asking the Senate to require deportation for anyone in the country illegally who assaults a police officer.
The legislation Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., first proposed more than a year ago has passed the House of Representatives. Passage in his chamber would send it to the desk of President Joe Biden.
“Any senator who claims to ‘back the blue’ should have no problem supporting this bill,” Budd said.
The chamber, with a majority of Democrats, again refused to act on the bill this week.
“Sadly,” Budd said, “it’s not a surprise that when we allow over half a million illegal immigrants with criminal records into the homeland, they commit crimes against American citizens. Even members of law enforcement – the very people entrusted with keeping us safe – are now on the frontlines of the border crisis. And no, I’m not talking about police in Texas or Arizona. I’m talking about North Carolina and New York City.”
Two years ago, Wake County Deputy Sheriff Ned Byrd was killed in the line of duty by gang members who had crossed the southern border, Budd said. This week in Queens, New York Police Department officers were shot trying to apprehend a suspect in multiple robberies. He was identified as a 19-year-old from Venezuela who illegally crossed through Eagle Pass, Texas.
“Worse yet,” Budd said on the Senate floor Tuesday, “he was caught and released with a future court date that he predictably ignored. Enough is enough.”
Senate Bill 1733 was introduced on May 18, 2023, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary; on March 8 was a failed amendment to the omnibus government funding bill; and on May 22, itwas requested for unanimous consent from the chamber for passage.
“Specifically, the POLICE Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to explicitly state that an illegal immigrant may be deported for assaulting a police officer,” Budd said. “It’s important to point out that current law does not cover all assaults against law enforcement. This means that some immigrants can remain in the country even after committing crimes against cops.”
