Kate's Law to Be Considered on Senate Floor
Sen. Cruz first introduced legislation in July 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Next week, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) bill, Kate’s Law, will receive a vote on the Senate floor. Sen. Cruz first introduced Kate’s Law, or the Establishing Mandatory Minimums for Illegal Reentry Act of 2015, last July. The legislation is named for Kate Steinle, the 32-year-old woman who tragically died in the arms of her father on a San Francisco pier after being shot by an illegal alien who had several felony convictions and had been deported from the United States five times. This bill would amend federal law to impose a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for any illegal reentry offense.
“The reason I introduced Kate’s Law was because the Obama administration is failing to adequately deter illegal aliens who have already been deported from reentering the country illegally,” Sen. Cruz said. “The problem of illegal immigration in this country will never be solved until we demonstrate to the American people that we are serious about securing the border and enforcing our immigration laws. Congress must prevent cities from harboring illegal aliens, and it must hold this Administration accountable for its failure—if not its outright refusal—to enforce federal immigration laws and ensure the safety and security of the American people.”
Sen. Cruz has been a leader of efforts in the Senate to reform the Obama administration’s inexcusable policies on sanctuary jurisdictions across the country. In October 2015, Sen. Cruz placed Kate’s Law directly on the Senate calendar, making it immediately available for floor action. Unfortunately, Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) objected to Sen. Cruz’s request for unanimous consent to pass the bill. Bill O’Reilly has been a strong advocate for Kate’s Law and has supported Sen. Cruz’s efforts to advance the legislation.
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