Please call your Senators to PASS THIS BILL!
Immigration Bill
A proposed immigration law, H.R. 4437, is pending in the U.S. Senate. If passed it would:
Make alien smuggling, entering or re-entering the U.S. without permission aggravated felonies. Such convicted felons face deportation and a permanent bar to re-entry. They would also be barred from claiming asylum or refugee status.
Makes it a crime for non-citizens to remain in the United States on an expired visa. Expands penalties for immigration fraud. Makes non-citizen gang members deportable.
Sets mandatory-minimum prison sentences for non-citizens convicted of re-entering the country following deportation. Increases detention space to hold people awaiting deportation. Permits longer detention of people facing deportation orders.
Keep people who voluntarily agree to leave the country within 60 days from filing legal appeals in order to remain. A person who failed to leave could be fined $3,000 and barred from re-entering. A person might be required to post a bond in order to be granted a voluntary-departure agreement, otherwise the person could be detained and deported.
Bar people who ignore deportation orders from appealing their cases in immigration court, and bar them from re-entering the country for 10 years. Increases penalties and sets mandatory-minimum sentences for people who ignore deportation orders.
Require all undocumented immigrants caught sneaking into the U.S. to be detained or immediately released to Mexico, rather than released into the U.S. after signing a promise to appear in immigration court. This provision is submitted to correct the so-called "catch-and-release" of unauthorized immigrants from countries other than Mexico.
Permit deportation of non-citizens convicted three times of drunken driving.
Expands the ability of the Department of Homeland Security to bar non-citizens for lack of "good moral character."