In a recent legislative debate, a Democratic representative drew a controversial parallel between a proposed bill and the notorious Fugitive Slave Act.
This comparison emerged amid the Republican Party's ongoing efforts to intensify measures against illegal immigration, a key promise of former President Donald Trump.
According to The Post Millennial, Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-OR) voiced her opposition to HR 35, stating, I urge my colleagues to oppose HR 35. Let's call this bill what it is, fear-mongering dressed up as officer safety. This bill echoes one of the darkest chapters in our nation's history, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
She further elaborated, "Today, just like that shameful law, HR 35 forces local authorities and encourages the deputizing of randos to do the federal government's work, punishing them if they refuse. Back then, it was hunting down people who dared to seek freedom. Today, it's forcing local police to become federal enforcers.
The House passed HR 35, known as the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, with a vote of 264 to 155. The legislation mandates imprisonment for up to two years for individuals fleeing Border Patrol within 100 miles of the U.S. border. The penalties escalate significantly if an officer is injured or killed during such pursuits, with potential sentences ranging from a minimum of five years to life imprisonment.
The bill honors Agent Raul Gonzalez, who tragically lost his life in 2022 during a pursuit of illegal immigrants in Texas. In a parallel move, Sen. Ted Cruz has introduced a similar bill in the Senate. This legislative push underscores the GOP's commitment to bolstering border security and enforcing immigration laws, reflecting a broader conservative agenda focused on law and order.
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