145 House Dems vote against bill to deport migrants who commit sexual assault

More than 140 Democrats voted against a House bill aimed at deporting illegal immigrants convicted of sex crimes on Thursday. The legislation passed with bipartisan support in a 274 to 145 vote, with all present Republicans backing the bill and all opposition coming from Democratic lawmakers.

The bill was initially introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., during the 118th Congress but was not taken up by the previously Democrat-controlled Senate. Back then, 158 Democrats voted against the bill.

“Our country has been ravaged by a horror of illegal immigrants… violently raping American women and girls,” Mace stated during the debate on the bill. “I know the lifelong scars, the irreversible scars, these heinous crimes leave behind.”

Notably, entrepreneur Elon Musk has been a vocal supporter of the bill, even going as far as calling for lawmakers who voted against it to lose their House seats.

The legislation not only focuses on deporting migrants convicted of sex crimes but also deems illegal immigrants who admit to or are convicted of domestic violence or sex-related charges to be inadmissible in the U.S.

However, Democrats argued that the bill could harm domestic abuse survivors who fight back against their abusers and broadens the definition of domestic violence to the detriment of victims.

During the debate on the bill, progressive Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., criticized the bill, stating that it “does absolutely nothing to address the needs of the American people” and “widens the highway to Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans.”

Mace, in response to the opposition, took to social media, expressing her disbelief at the left’s justification for not deporting criminals who are in the country illegally.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., condemned Democrats who voted against the bill, accusing them of prioritizing criminal illegal immigrants over the safety of their constituents.

Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, one of the Republicans who supported the bill, highlighted the necessity of the legislation in light of the Biden administration’s border policies, emphasizing the need to swiftly detain and deport any illegal immigrant who commits a sex crime or domestic violence offense.

The bill’s passage comes amidst a heated debate on immigration policies and enforcement, with both sides presenting contrasting views on the best approach to address the issue.

Elizabeth Elkind, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, covered the House of Representatives’ proceedings and provided insights into the debate surrounding the bill. Follow her on Twitter at @liz_elkind for more updates on political developments.