Who would be surprised that the Democrats mostly objected?
(Washington Post) The House on Friday passed a bill that would restore the federal government’s ability to deport immigrants for a wide variety of violent criminal offenses in a vote that won quick praise from President Trump.
The Community Safety and Security Act aims to address an April Supreme Court ruling that found that the federal definition of a “crime of violence,†which under immigration law prompts the mandatory deportation of a noncitizen, is impermissibly vague. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Karen Handel (R-Ga.), specifically enumerates more than a dozen crimes that would qualify.
The bill passed 247-152, largely along party lines.
Democrats objected to the bill for being rushed to the floor without hearings or an amendment process in committee, though 29 broke ranks and supported it; four libertarian-oriented Republicans opposed it.
It’s a pretty simple bill, H.R. 6691. You can read and comprehend it in about 4 minutes.
Among the offenses that would be considered a “crime of violence†under the bill: “murder, voluntary manslaughter, assault, sexual abuse or aggravated sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact, child abuse, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking, firearms use, burglary, arson, extortion, communication of threats, coercion, fleeing, interference with flight crew members and attendants, domestic violence, hostage taking, stalking, human trafficking, piracy, or a terrorism offense†defined elsewhere in federal law.
So, what’s the problem?
The American Civil Liberties Union and several immigrant-rights groups opposed the bill, and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, warned its hasty consideration could create unforeseen consequences.
“The Judiciary Committee has had ample time to examine the decision, to hold hearings, to gather input from a range of stakeholders, and to carefully develop legislation through a markup and regular order,†he said Friday on the House floor. “But none of those things have happened. Instead, a bill with significant ramifications for criminal law and immigration cases was introduced just last week, while members were out of town, and is being rushed to the floor today without any adequate opportunity for review by the public, by legal experts, or by stakeholders.”
So, because they couldn’t spend 4 minutes reading the bill, they have a problem? A bill that defines what crimes of violence are, making it easier and faster to deport illegal aliens? It really doesn’t get any more simple for a Congressional bill than this. It’s almost like Democrats do not want to make it easier and quicker to deport illegal aliens that do things like sexually assault children.
