[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2458-S2459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Border Security
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, last month, an illegal alien from
Venezuela was arrested for allegedly murdering Laken Riley, a 22-year-
old nursing student, while she went for a run on the University of
Georgia campus. The suspected murderer, 26-year-old Jose Ibarra, should
have never been allowed to set foot in our country. But the Biden
administration paroled him into America after he illegally crossed the
southern border, along with more than 2 million other migrants who are
now eligible for work authorizations and benefits from the Federal
Government.
That is the difference. When someone gets paroled, they get benefits.
They get work permits. And while President Obama and President Trump
each paroled only about 5,600 people a year, President Biden paroled
800,000 in 2022 and 1.2 million in 2023.
When you look at this, what you can say is that this administration
failed Laken Riley. They failed her more than once.
Also, when you look at sanctuary city policies, what you know is
this: that New York City, with their sanctuary city policies, failed
Laken Riley. Athens, GA, another sanctuary city, failed Laken Riley.
Last year, in New York City, Ibarra was arrested for reckless
endangerment of a child. But instead of working with Federal law
enforcement to get him deported for his heinous crime, city officials
there, in New York City, released him before Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, or ICE, could request his custody.
A month later, police in Athens, GA--whose city government passed a
resolution in 2019 welcoming illegal immigrants ``of all statuses''--
released Ibarra after he shoplifted hundreds of dollars in goods.
It is no coincidence that both New York City and Athens, GA, are
sanctuary cities. In sanctuary cities across the country, we have seen
illegal aliens commit crimes with impunity, as local governments refuse
to work with law enforcement to deport criminal illegal aliens.
Just last month, the New York Post reported that the violent
Venezuelan gang is directing its members to come to our southern
border, apply for asylum, and, once waved into the country, establish
robbery rings in major U.S. cities. I couldn't believe this.
Then, as I talked to law enforcement in Tennessee, I found out that
those gangs are there. They are moving in. And I was so surprised that
we had gangs, in addition to MS-13, that have come in on parole status
and also as asylum seekers.
Gang members are recruiting migrants in New York City shelters to
join their operations in which they steal phones from innocent
bystanders so they can resell those phones in Colombia.
In Chicago, another sanctuary city, authorities are tracking the
gang's growing crime network, which includes human trafficking, drug
smuggling, and sexual exploitation.
No city in America should be allowed to make illegal immigration
legal and harbor criminal illegal aliens. They ought not be able to do
it. It makes our communities less safe.
That is why, earlier this month, I reintroduced the Clear Law
Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act, or CLEAR Act, which would
ensure State and local law enforcement officials can work with Federal
law enforcement to deport criminal illegal aliens who are in their
communities.
Under the provisions in this legislation, it would require States and
localities to provide the Department of Homeland Security with
information about every alien apprehended in their State, including the
name, address, physical description, and the reason for their arrest.
At the same time, the bill would ensure their compliance by denying
Federal funds to any jurisdiction that refuses to work with Federal
immigration law enforcement.
It would also require the Department of Homeland Security to take
illegal
[[Page S2459]]
aliens into custody within 48 hours after receiving a request from a
State and local government, provide essential information about illegal
immigrants to the Justice Department, and supply resources to help
localities enforce immigration law, including grants and increased
space for detention facilities.
Do you see what is happening with all of this? When you have got
entities that say, ``We are just not going to enforce the law; we are
going to do something different, and we are going to ignore immigration
law,'' what happens is every town becomes a border town, and every
State becomes a border State.
This is one of the reasons that crime and the border are two of the
top issues that people talk about.
Any person who is in this country illegally and committing a crime
that endangers our communities should be immediately removed and barred
from coming back.
Unfortunately, our Nation's crime issues go beyond the criminal
illegal aliens. Across the country, from New York and Washington to
L.A. and Chicago, we have seen far-left DAs and soft-on-crime judges
push radical bail policies, including easing cash bail requirements or
prohibiting cash bail altogether. Far from improving public safety,
these so-called bail reforms put criminals back on the streets and
place law-abiding citizens in danger.
After the Shelby County District Attorney's Office spearheaded bail
reform and made it easier for criminals to avoid pretrial detention,
homicides in Memphis last year reached a recordbreaking number--398
homicides in Memphis, TN. Many of these were committed by criminals who
were out on bail.
Just last month, a violent criminal who was out on bail for attempted
murder set off a city-wide manhunt after going on a horrific rampage
through the city of Memphis. Across his 5-hour-long crime spree, the
offender carjacked a woman in a church parking lot, shot two people
after breaking into a hair salon, and killed an innocent teenager
outside of a strip mall.
In May, a repeat criminal posted bail after shooting and injuring an
off-duty Memphis Police Department officer while attempting to break
into a parked vehicle.
One month later, a gunman--while out on bail for carjacking and
employing a firearm with intent to commit a dangerous felony--shot and
killed a man during an attempted carjacking.
In November, a Memphis judge released the suspected murderer of a 15-
year-old boy who was shot and killed outside his grandmother's house on
Thanksgiving morning.
And just this month, a Memphis judge set just a $175,000 bond for a
man charged with attempted first-degree murder against a police
officer.
These tragedies should never happen to anyone, but far-left bail
policies continue to prioritize criminals over law enforcement,
families, and hard-working taxpayers. I can tell you, Tennesseans are
tired of this. They are tired of seeing criminals being prioritized
over hard-working taxpayers and families.
While addressing crime is the primary responsibility of local
governments, there are important steps the Federal Government can take
to ensure public safety. That is why I am introducing the Keep Violent
Criminals Off Our Streets Act. It would deter States and localities
from pushing pro-crime policies that make cities like Memphis less
safe.
This legislation would block any State or local government from
receiving Federal funds if they have a policy that prohibits the use of
cash bail for offenders. It would also block Federal funds if they
refuse to employ pretrial detention practices for every violent
offender, including juvenile offenders.
With crimes spiking in Memphis and other cities across the country,
it is essential that local governments protect their residents and put
violent criminals behind bars where they belong.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. BRAUN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Cortez Masto). Without objection, it is so
ordered.
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