Sen. Sessions Introduces Bill to Strengthen Interior Enforcement

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) has introduced legislation that would bolster the interior enforcement of federal immigration laws. The bill, S.1640, entitled the Michael Davis, Jr. and Danny Oliver in Honor of State and Local Law Enforcement Act, would end the mass release of criminal aliens, allow local law enforcement to assist in the enforcement of federal laws, and help ensure the just, consistent and uniform application of federal law.

The bill builds on an interior enforcement bill introduced by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) and approved earlier this year by the House Judiciary Committee. Sen. Sessions released the following statement on the bill:

I applaud Chairman Gowdy and Chairman Goodlatte for their dedicated work in carefully crafting this crucial measure. The introduction of this companion bill in the Senate is another important step towards protecting the lives and livelihoods of American citizens. The legislation is named for Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputy Danny Oliver and Placer County Detective Michael Davis, who were gunned down in the line of duty by a twice-deported illegal alien. Had our nation’s immigration laws been enforced, both of these slain heroes would be with their families today.

In America, tens of thousands of preventable crimes occur each year, including the most violent and heinous, because of our failure to enforce our immigration laws. Too many people are living in fear of violent gangs and drug cartels as a result.

Every single day, law officers at the state, local, and federal level are forced to release criminal aliens who pose a threat to community safety—in violation of current laws that require deportation. Additionally, in the last two years, ICE released back onto the streets 76,000 convicted criminal aliens. There are 169,000 criminal aliens at large in the United States right now who have criminal convictions and were formally and lawfully ordered deported. The Administration’s tolerance of sanctuary cities has also resulted in another 10,000 potentially deportable arrested aliens being released by local law agencies since January of last year. And, 121 of the criminal aliens who’ve been ordered deported in the last few years and were released by ICE have now been charged with additional homicide offenses.

This legislation will ensure cooperation between state, local, and federal officials, each with their own valuable role. It will crack down on sanctuary cities. It will empower our Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to actually enforce our immigration laws—protecting the jobs, wages, and well-being of the American people. It will make sure that our immigration policies are carried out—not ignored.

Congress spends too much time catering to special interests, and not enough time serving the people who sent us here. Advancing this bill would be a dramatic step towards reestablishing the severed trust between the people and their government.

Along with NumbersUSA, the legislation is endorsed by Chris Crane (National ICE Council President), Ken Palinkas (National Citizenship and Immigration Services Council President), the National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers, the National Sheriffs’ Association, Eagle Forum, the Federation For American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and Heritage Action.

The bill is also endorsed by 10 sheriffs: Sheriff Paul Babeu (Pinal County, AZ), Sheriff Bruce W. Hartman (Gilpin County, CO), Sheriff Tom Hodgson (Bristol County, MA), Sheriff Chuck Jenkins (Frederick County, MD), Sheriff Terry Johnson (Alamance County, NC), Sheriff Gabriel Joiner (Cheyenne County, CO), Sheriff Scott Jones (Sacramento County, CA), Sheriff Sam Page (Rockingham County, NC), Sheriff Ted Schendel (Benzie County, MI), Sheriff Justin Smith (Larimer County, CO).

Joining Sen. Sessions in introducing the bill are Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), Sen Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.). The proposal is named after Detective Michael Davis and Deputy Danny Oliver, two local law enforcement officers who were murdered by an illegal alien with an extensive criminal history.

Read the Michael Davis, Jr. and Danny Oliver in Honor of State and Local Law Enforcement Act