Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa attempted to push for a floor vote on March 6 regarding a law mandating the detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of every illegal immigrant involved in violent crimes. However, her request for unanimous consent was thwarted by Majority Whip, Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois, who objected to Ernst’s proposal. The primary aim of Ernst’s proposal was to mitigate preventable attacks by illegal immigrants, thereby reducing resulting fatalities.
The senator from Iowa sought unanimous agreement from fellow senators to bring Sarah’s Law to the floor for an official vote. In her address, Ernst implored senators to approve her bill, recounting the tragic deaths of Sarah Root and Laken Riley, reportedly at the hands of undocumented immigrants.
As per certain accounts, the proposed law would mandate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to formally detain undocumented individuals who have been arrested and accused of causing severe injury or death to another person. Ernst reiterated this aspect in her address, emphasizing that the legislation would simply necessitate ICE agents to detain illegal immigrants who are subject to deportation.
However, Durbin thwarted her proposed legislation shortly after her speech. He clarified that he took this action because he feared the bill could potentially result in unintended consequences affecting innocent individuals. Durbin highlighted concerns such as the potential detention of trafficking and domestic abuse victims who may have been charged with crimes by authorities. The Majority Whip further argued that Ernst’s legislation would deny undocumented individuals the due process rights afforded to all individuals in the United States.
Numerous news sources have stated that Sarah Root, for whom the measure is named, was fatally struck by an undocumented immigrant named Edwin Mejia, who was driving under the influence and later fled after posting bail. Additionally, law enforcement apprehended an illegal immigrant named Jose Ibarra in connection to the death of 22-year-old Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia. Ibarra faces multiple charges, including felony murder and malice murder.
