Legislation introduced to close illegal alien loophole

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) has joined a group of colleagues in introducing a measure that addresses an illegal alien policy loophole.

Kennedy recently detailed the Keep Our Communities Safe Act, indicating the measure addresses a catch-and-release loophole, requiring the government to release illegal aliens into the United States’ interior after detaining them for six months if no other country accepts them for deportation.

“America’s border crisis threatens our national security and the safety of our local communities,” Kennedy said. “We can’t afford to send violent offenders out into the country, and the Keep Our Communities Safe Act would make sure that officials don’t ‘catch and release’ offenders when they are here illegally.

Bill provisions prohibiting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from detaining illegal immigrants for more than six months would include the alien’s release threatening the safety of the community and the alien being an aggravated felon or having committed a crime of violence; the alien would be removed in the reasonably foreseeable future; the alien would have been removed if not for the alien’s refusal to make efforts to comply and cooperate with DHS (Department of Homeland Security) efforts to remove him or her; the alien has a highly contagious disease; or the alien’s release would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences.