158 Dems vote against bill to deport illegal immigrants who commit sex crimes
More than 150 House Democrats voted against a bill that would deport illegal immigrants convicted of a sexual offense or conspiracy to commit such a crime.
The Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act passed the House of Representatives along bipartisan lines on Wednesday. All present Republicans voted for the bill, as did 51 Democratic lawmakers. The measure passed 266 to 158.
Among the Democrats who voted for the bill are Reps. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska; Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez, D-Wash.; Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.; and Hillary Scholten, D-Mich.
Two of the Democrats who voted for it are seeking higher office — Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., is running for Senate, and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., is running for governor.
In addition to deporting migrants convicted of sex crimes, the legislation would also deem illegal immigrants who admit to domestic violence or sex-related charges — or are convicted of them — to be inadmissible in the U.S.
It’s part of a wider legislative push by the House GOP to spotlight issues stemming from the border crisis, which has for months affected cities and states across the country.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital hours before the vote that she "100%" anticipated Democrats voting against her bill.
"If you vote against it, you're sexist against women," Mace declared.
"I mean, truly, because we're talking about illegals who are here who are committing domestic violence, rape and murder on women and children — they’ve gotta go. They shouldn't be allowed into our country."
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Democrats have panned the bill as xenophobic, however.
"Here we are again, debating another partisan bill that fear mongers about immigrants, instead of working together to fix the immigration system," Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said during debate on the bill.
"I probably shouldn't be too surprised. Scapegoating immigrants and attempting to weaponize the crime of domestic violence is appearing to be a time-honored tradition for Republicans."
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Despite the wider pushback, however, GOP efforts to highlight the border crisis have gotten modest Democratic support.
House Republicans previously passed a bill to detain and deport migrants convicted of assaulting law enforcement with the help of 54 Democrats — while 148 lawmakers voted against the measure.
Meanwhile, the GOP-backed Laken Riley Act, named after an Augusta University nursing student who was allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant, netted support from 37 House Democrats.