Immigration Reform: Republicans Working on Harsh Immigration Policy Measures
With Republicans in virtual control of the United States congress, lawmakers aligned with the Trump administration has started to draft legislation seeking to criminalize undocumented entry and stay in the country, among other harsher measures.
Idaho Republican Representative Paul Labrador introduced the Davis–Oliver Act on Tuesday, May 16, aimed at adding provisions to the current United States policy on illegal aliens. The bill was named after Davis and Oliver, two law enforcement officers who have been killed by an illegal alien who returned to the country despite having been deported twice, according to Fox News.
Several highlights of the Davis–Oliver bill have overarching impacts on immigration policy in the future, should the proposal pass. The act gives states their legislative approval to draft and enforce their own immigration laws, for one. This provision curtails the power of the executive branch to dictate immigration policy for individual states, according to The Hill.
In the case of so-called "Sanctuary cities," a provision in the proposed bill is targeting their federal budget as well. The Davis–Oliver bill can act to cut off jurisdictions that do not cooperate with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding immigration-related information requests. Failure to recognize immigration detainers will also be grounds to withhold certain federal grants.
In addition to possible budget sanctions, the act also opens these jurisdictions to legal action from victims of crimes committed by the illegal aliens on their release.
If an immigrant is also identified as belonging to a criminal gang, the fact will also count as grounds for deportation. Immigrants will also have a harder time availing of immigration benefits, with the proposed Davis–Oliver bill adding mandatory background checks before these benefits are conferred.
