(Washington, DC) – Last evening, U.S. Congressman Chip Cravaack (MN-8) spoke on the Floor of the House of Representatives in support of his amendment to H.R. 2017, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2012. If enacted into law, the amendment would prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using taxpayer dollars to process the release, or to administer “alternatives to detention” for illegal aliens who have committed a crime such as fraud, burglary, rape, assault, prostitution, murder, or trafficking in narcotics.

A text version can be found below and a video of the Congressman’s speech can be found here.

Mr. Chairman,

I rise in support of my amendment. This amendment stipulates that none of the funds in this bill may be used in violation of Section 236(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Practically speaking, my amendment would prohibit United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using taxpayer dollars to process the release, or to administer “alternatives to detention” to illegal immigrants who committed a crime which mandates their incarceration under Section 236(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Importantly, Section 236(c) requires the U.S. Government detain illegal aliens who have committed any one of the serious crimes detailed Section 236(c) until that illegal alien is deported to their home country. For example, Section 236(c) would require ICE to detain an alien that committed arson until that alien is deported. I think this is a very common sense provision. In fact, in my opinion, that criminal illegal alien shouldn’t be in the United States in the first place, but that is another debate for another day. 

Make no mistake, I want to state that I think the vast majority of ICE employees are great Americans, and I personally appreciate the work they do to ensure our nation remains a nation founded under the rule of law. 

Nevertheless, ICE does not always operate in accordance with Section 236(c). For example, ICE has allowed criminal illegal aliens who are waiting for a deportation hearing to leave federal detention facilities and re-enter the general public if the criminal illegal alien is fitted with a GPS tracking device or regularly checks in with their ICE supervisor. This is very troubling to me, Mr. Chairman.

In August 2010, ICE’s policy of releasing dangerous criminal aliens proved deadly. According to a Freedom of Information Act report, which I have, illegal alien Carlos Martinelly Montano was sentenced to over a year in jail for his second DWI and was released from ICE custody wearing only a GPS tracking device. This is in direct violation of Section 236(c). Tragically, on August 1, Montano got drunk, got behind the wheel, and collided head-on with a vehicle carrying three nuns. This head on collision killed 66-year-old Sister Jeanette Mosier of Virginia.

To protect innocent citizens from criminal illegal aliens, I firmly believe we need to enforce our immigration laws, especially Section 236(c) that mandates the detention of dangerous, criminal illegal aliens. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to prohibit taxpayer funds from being used in violation of Section 236(c).

Thank you Mr. Chairman. I reserve the balance of my time.

The amendment passed the House this afternoon with bi-partisan support.

Congressman Cravaack serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee – where he is Vice Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee – the Homeland Security Committee, and the Science, Space and Technology Committee. The 8th Congressional District covers 18 counties in Northeast Minnesota.