Several groups, including the National Sheriff’s Association, voiced their support for a bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) that would bar aliens associated with a criminal gang and convicted of a crime from entering the United States.
The bill, called Singh’s law, says aliens with gang associations would be disqualified from receiving asylum, temporary protected status, special immigrant juvenile visas, and other forms of relief from removal. Further, the bill would grant the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to designate criminal gangs under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Also, Singh’s law would create a $200 million federal grant to law-enforcement agencies to combat criminal gangs.
“The nation’s sheriffs strongly support Senator Cotton for this legislation that will equip local law enforcement with the additional resources they need to keep their communities safe from criminal gangs. We also applaud his honoring of the fallen officer. Families of law enforcement know too well the sacrifice officers and deputies make every day and we must never forget that sacrifice they and their families make,” Jonathan Thompson, executive director of the National Sheriffs Association, said.
The bill is after Corporal Ronil Singh, a police officer in Newman, Calif., who was killed on Dec. 26, 2018. An illegal immigrant with known gang affiliations and two prior DUI arrests was charged with the murder. Several illegal immigrants were charged with helping Singh’s alleged killer try to flee the country.
“Corporal Ronil Singh, a police officer with the City of Newman (Calif.) Police Department, was a shining example of the American dream. A lawful immigrant from Fiji, Singh dreamed of becoming a police officer. He worked tirelessly to obtain his badge, even taking English lessons to overcome his accent in an effort to be better understood on the job. Cpl. Singh’s dream ended one tragic night last December, when he was brutally murdered in the line of duty by an illegal alien with multiple DUI arrests and an active gang affiliation. In recent years, criminal gangs from Latin America have developed a strong foothold in the United States, perpetuating criminal activities such as drug dealing, human trafficking, and murder,” Dan Stein, president of Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), said. “FAIR applauds Senator Cotton for recognizing the growing gang issue and honoring a true American hero with the introduction of Singh’s Law. This FAIR-supported bill would provide law enforcement with additional tools to combat criminal alien gangs operating in American communities, while ensuring that illegal aliens with gang affiliations are promptly removed from the country. Congress must act quickly to protect other families from suffering the same unimaginable loss as Cpl. Singh’s family.”
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives
“Officer Singh’s brutal murder by a criminal illegal alien last December was entirely preventable. Perez Arriaga was in the country illegally, had known gang affiliations and two previous DUI convictions. And yet California’s sanctuary policies protected him from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, enabling him to commit this heinous crime,” Chris Chmielenski, deputy director of Numbers USA, said. “Singh’s Law would block aliens with criminal convictions and known gang affiliations from entering the country and allow for the removal those already here. NumbersUSA and its 9 million grassroots activists applaud Sen. Tom Cotton for introducing this legislation and for prioritizing the safety and security of U.S. citizens.”