GOP revives illegal immigrant detention bill named after 12-year-old murder victim: ‘Justice for Jocelyn'
FIRST ON FOX: Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate are reviving a push to require that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) beds be filled before illegal immigrants are released from custody – a bill named after 12-year-old murder victim Jocelyn Nungaray.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, are re-introducing the "Justice for Jocelyn Act."
The bill would require that every ICE detention bed be filled before any releases of illegal immigrants into the interior. Even if they are filled, the bill would require DHS to exhaust all additional measures before releasing migrants into the interior, including enrolling them in continuous GPS monitoring via ankle bracelets or similar devices.
The bill is named for Nungaray, who was killed last year. Two illegal immigrants face capital murder charges and are accused of luring her under a bridge, tying her up and killing her before throwing her body into a river.
Officials confirmed they were in the country illegally. One arrived in March and the other in May. Both were released on an order of recognizance pending their immigration court hearings.
"Last year, I began the fight for justice for 12-year-old Jocelyn. The aliens responsible for her murder crossed the southern border illegally and should have been detained by ICE," Cruz told Fox News Digital.
"Democrats’ reckless open-border policies prevented ICE and Border Patrol agents from acting, left thousands of detention center beds empty, and allowed these criminals to go free. Congress should act with urgency to ensure no other American family ever has to endure what Jocelyn’s mother, Alexis Nungaray, has been forced to face," he said. "Standing alongside Alexis in this fight for justice has been an immense privilege, and I will not stop fighting until our communities are safe and justice is served."
"I am proud to join my Texas colleague in the Senate, Senator Ted Cruz, in reintroducing the Justice for Jocelyn Act," Nehls said in a statement. "Jocelyn Nungaray’s death was entirely preventable. The Justice for Jocelyn Act would improve the detention and tracking of illegal aliens released into the United States and would put the safety of the American people first."
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"Congress, meaning the House and Senate, must immediately pass this legislation and get it to President Trump’s desk as soon as possible," he said.
The bill is one of a number of bills being introduced in Congress that focuses on cracking down on illegal immigration. Last week, the House passed the Laken Riley Act, which would require the detention of illegal immigrants charged with theft-related crimes. It has also advanced in the Senate.
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On Monday, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, re-introduced "Sarah’s Law," which would require the detention by ICE of illegal immigrants charged with killing another person.
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The incoming Trump administration is expected to launch a "historic" mass deportation operation when it enters office next week, and it will have the backing of Republicans in the House and Senate.