House approves bill to stiffen deportation rules for migrant sex offenders

The House passed its second major immigration crackdown bill of the year on Thursday, approving legislation that expands the grounds for deporting migrants who commit sex offenses.

The measure passed easily on a 274-145 vote, with more than five dozen Democrats joining the GOP in support.

It’s the second major deportation bill passed by the House this year following legislation that would push Homeland Security to detain and try to deport illegal immigrants who steal.

Current law already bars immigrants who engage in rape or domestic violence from entering the country and calls for deportation for any migrant already in the U.S. The new bill would expand those categories to include a broader range of sex crimes, including stalking and violation of a protective order.

“The Democrats often talk about the war on women, but they couldn’t care less about allowing a flood of sexual offenders, domestic violence offenders and child abusers into our communities,” said Rep. Tom McClintock, California Republican.

He said the bill would close loopholes that the Biden administration used to overlook some sex offenses in making deportation decisions.

Democrats who opposed the bill complained that it was too broad in its definition of domestic violence, sweeping up migrants who most Americans wouldn’t consider abusers. That includes survivors who used violence in self-defense.

The Democrats also said it could give new tools to abusers who threaten false claims of violence against migrants to silence them.

“This legislation if it were to pass would actually make it a lot easier for the abusers to terrify and intimidate the victims,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, Maryland Democrat.

He also said Republicans were being hypocritical in supporting the bill while also supporting high-profile GOP figures he said had been “credibly accused” of abusing women.

He pointed in particular to Pete Hegseth, whom President-elect Donald Trump has nominated to be the defense secretary.

But the danger of being seen voting in favor of sex offender migrants was too much for many Democrats, 61 of whom voted for the legislation.

“The blood is on the hands of every single Democrat in this body who votes against this bill,” warned Rep. Nancy Mace, the South Carolina Republican who wrote the legislation.