House passes bill to deport immigrants convicted of DUI
The House of Representatives, with a Republican majority, approved a controversial bill on Thursday that seeks to deport immigrants convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI). The bill, known as HR6976, was approved by a vote of 274-150, with the vast majority of Republican representatives supporting the measure. It also had the support of 59 Democratic representatives.
The text of the legislation states that driving while intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol would be grounds for barring a non-U.S. national from entering the United States or deporting that individual. The bill specifies that an individual must have been convicted of a DUI-related crime to be eligible for deportation.
Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan criticized the measure, suggesting that it has racist overtones and could result in the deportation of immigrant neighbors who have resided legally in the United States for decades.
However, Republican Representative Barry Moore of Alabama, the main promoter of the bill, defended the measure in statements to Fox News, citing the alarming statistics of drunk driving accidents in the United States. He emphasized that someone dies in a drunk driving accident in the U.S. every 45 minutes.
The approval of the bill comes at a time when the Biden administration is facing increased scrutiny over the immigration crisis on the southern border. The measure also comes on the heels of a committee with a Republican majority approving a vote to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security, for his handling of the border with Mexico.
Congress has been negotiating a tough immigration package, including restrictions on asylum, as part of the Republican’s demands to approve $106 billion in aid requested by President Biden for national security needs.
The number of immigrants processed by Customs and Border Protection after crossing the border from Mexico broke a record in December, with over 300,000 individuals, including a never-before-recorded number of families with children according to government data.
It is unclear what future the immigration bill has in the Democratic-controlled Senate. The measure is likely to spark further debate and controversy as it progresses through the legislative process.