(The Center Square) – His time as a federal prosecutor shaping his thinking, North Carolina Republican U.S. Rep. Brad Knott’s belief is serious deterrents are needed to help thwart dangerous criminals illegally entering the country.
He was an immediate cosponsor of the Stop Illegal Entry Act of 2025 that passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday and is urging the Senate to move it along to the desk of second-term Republican President Donald Trump.
“As a federal prosecutor,” the representative of the state’s 13th Congressional District said, “I encountered illegal alien criminals who repeatedly reentered the United States after deportation to continue committing crimes against Americans. This pervasive trend will continue, causing endless harm, unless we implement serious deterrents targeting this class of dangerous criminals.”
Five significant proposals are in the legislation. According to a bill summary at Congress.gov:
• People who enter, or attempt to enter, the United States and are convicted of a felony will get five years minimum prison time, with possibility of a life sentence.
• People who illegally enter the country more than once can be sentenced up to five years in prison. That’s up from two years maximum.
• People denied entry to the United States, or removed from it, and attempt to enter without approval before doing so can be sentenced a maximum of 10 years. That is up from two years maximum. And, if the person is convicted of three or more specified types of misdemeanors, the maximum sentence goes to 15 years. It was 10.
• People denied entry, or removed three or more times, who then enter or attempt to enter the United States can be fined or jailed for up to 10 years, or both.
• People illegally in America convicted of a felony will get a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and it could be as much as a life sentence. The same penalty would also be in place for someone convicted of illegally entering the country twice who tries or enters again.
Knott said, “The Stop Illegal Entry Act closes that loophole by enabling efficient convictions with strong penalties whenever an illegal immigrant commits a felony or attempts to come back into the country after deportation.”
Joining Knott in favor on the 226-197 passage were Republican Reps. Tim Moore, Chuck Edwards, Pat Harrigan, Richard Hudson, Rev. Mark Harris, David Rouzer, Addison McDowell, Virginia Foxx and Dr. Greg Murphy, and Democratic Rep. Don Davis. Against were Democratic Reps. Deborah Ross, Valerie Foushee and Alma Adams.
The Senate got the bill on Monday. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has introduced companion legislation. Stop Illegal Reentry Act, known also as Senate Bill 271, was introduced Jan. 28 and has been parked in the Committee on the Judiciary since.
HR3486 can pass the Senate by simple majority (51); it would need 60 votes if blocked through a filibuster. The chamber has 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents caucusing with Democrats.
