Over 150 House Democrats opposed a bill aimed at deporting illegal immigrants convicted of sexual offenses or conspiracy to commit such crimes. Earlier this year, Rep. Nancy Mace introduced the Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, which subsequently passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support on Wednesday. All Republicans present voted in favor, along with 51 Democratic members, resulting in a vote tally of 266 to 158. Notable Democrats who supported the bill include Reps. Mary Peltola, Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez, Jared Moskowitz, and Hillary Scholten, with two of them, Reps. Elissa Slotkin and Abigail Spanberger, pursuing higher political positions. The legislation not only seeks to deport migrants convicted of sex crimes but also categorizes illegal immigrants who confess to or are convicted of domestic violence or sex-related offenses as inadmissible to the U.S. This initiative is part of a broader effort by House Republicans to address issues related to the ongoing border crisis affecting various regions nationwide. Prior to the vote, Congresswoman Nancy Mace expressed her expectation that Democrats would oppose her bill, asserting that voting against it would be an act of sexism against women, as it concerns illegal immigrants committing serious crimes against women and children.
Democrats have criticized the bill as xenophobic. Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., remarked during the debate, "Once again, we find ourselves discussing a divisive bill that incites fear regarding immigrants, rather than collaborating to reform the immigration system." She expressed little surprise at the trend, noting that blaming immigrants and exploiting the issue of domestic violence has become a longstanding practice among Republicans. Despite significant opposition, some Democratic support has emerged for GOP initiatives aimed at addressing the border crisis. House Republicans previously advanced legislation to detain and deport migrants convicted of assaulting law enforcement, garnering backing from 54 Democrats, while 148 opposed it. Additionally, the GOP-supported Laken Riley Act, named after a nursing student allegedly murdered by an undocumented immigrant, received support from 37 House Democrats.
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