In a significant legislative move, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that could potentially make driving under the influence a deportable offense.
The bill, known as the Protect Communities from DUIs Act, was introduced by Representative Barry Moore, a Republican from Alabama. The legislation was approved by a vote of 274 to 150, with opposition coming solely from the Democratic side.
"Every 45 minutes. That's how often someone in the United States dies in a crash involving an alcohol-impaired driver," Moore stated in a speech prior to the bill's passage. He shared the tragic story of Angel and Jeremy Seay, a couple from his hometown of Enterprise, Alabama, who lost their lives in a drunk driving accident involving an undocumented immigrant.
"Angel and Jeremy were riding their motorcycle together when an undocumented immigrant under the influence of alcohol collided into them with his pickup. Their lives were cut dramatically short. Sadly, tragedies like this are not uncommon across our country," Moore recounted.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drunk driving claims an average of 37 lives every day in the U.S., with a total of 13,384 fatalities recorded in 2021. The bill was supported by 59 Democrats and a united bloc of 215 Republicans. Seven lawmakers abstained from voting. Moore first introduced the legislation on January 11.
The bill's text states, "The bar to admission shall apply to an individual who has been convicted of the offense or has admitted to having committed the acts which constitute the elements of the offense. As a ground for deportability, the individual must have been convicted of the offense." The legislation aims to resolve any discrepancies between state and federal law regarding whether undocumented immigrants can remain in the US after being convicted of a DUI charge.
During a press conference in South Carolina, a state lawmaker highlighted the death of six-year-old Maddie Hines, who was killed in a car accident involving an undocumented immigrant under the influence. The suspect, Gabriel Arteaga, had previously been deported under the Trump administration but managed to re-enter the U.S. under President Biden's administration.
Make America Great Again Inc., a super PAC aligned with former President Donald Trump, recently resurfaced a clip of Biden from the 2020 election cycle. In the clip, Biden suggests that drunk driving should not be considered a felony offense when asked about deporting undocumented immigrants convicted of such crimes. "You only arrest for the purpose of dealing with a felony that's committed, and I don't consider drunk driving as a felony," Biden is heard saying in the clip.
For the Protect Communities from DUIs Act to become law, it must be approved by the Senate and signed by President Biden. In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 2.47 million migrant encounters along the Mexico border. Additionally, 302,034 undocumented immigrants were apprehended in December alone.
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