Illegal Immigration is Still Illegal

On March 8, 2016, Pablo Serrano-Vitorino spread terror across Missouri, allegedly murdering four people in the Kansas City area and another outside of Columbia.

It was later found out that Serrano-Vitorino was previously deported from the U.S. for a felony conviction, only to re-enter the country illegally. What’s worse, Serrano-Vitorino was in police custody multiple times as an illegal immigrant, but was released each time. Not deported.

Illegal immigration is just that- illegal. One of the things that frustrates me most about Washington D.C. is that people seem to forget that. It's only gotten worse under the Obama administration.

There are lawmakers and police officers across the country who want to enforce our laws and deport those here illegally. But significant gaps exist between what happens at the local level and at federal immigration offices in Washington, D.C.

That’s why, this week, I cosponsored H.R. 5853, the Empowering Local Law Enforcement Act. This commonsense legislation will give law enforcement officers the authority to protect our communities from dangerous illegal aliens, forcing DHS to train local police on ways to carry out immigration policies like arresting or detaining illegal aliens.

This administration has created an environment where dangerous people like Pablo Serrano-Vitorino can enter our country and avoid deportation. H.R. 5853 stops that, helping police officers enforce immigration laws and keeping people like Serrano-Vitorino out of our communities.

There is nothing ambiguous about illegal immigration. It’s time we give local law enforcement the tools to enforce the laws this administration refuses to.

Sincerely,

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Sam Graves