Feenstra Submits Written Testimony to House Judiciary Committee Encouraging Passage of His Border Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) submitted written testimony to the House Judiciary Committee – including directly to Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) – encouraging the committee to pass two pieces of legislation that Feenstra introduced this year to address the border crisis. The bills include Feenstra’s Build the Wall and Fight Fentanyl Act and Sarah’s Law.
In part,Feenstra wrote, “Currently, two pieces of legislation that I have introduced – H.R. 4904, the Build the Wall and Fight Fentanyl Act,and H.R. 661, Sarah’s Law – have been referred to the House Judiciary Committee for further consideration. I believe that these bills can help restore order at our border, keep deadly fentanyl out of our communities, and hold illegal immigrants accountable for breaking our laws.”
“My Build the Wall and Fight Fentanyl Act represents a straightforward and commonsense solution to the border crisis. This legislation would use money confiscated from the drug cartels by our brave border patrol agents to finish construction on the border wall and fund fentanyl treatment services for our families and communities,” Feenstra noted.
Feenstra further emphasized that “Sarah’s Law would also achieve our shared goal of protecting lives and defending our families. Nearly eight years ago, an illegal immigrant who was driving while drunk struck and killed 21-year-old Sarah Root. Instead of being prosecuted for his crimes, the illegal immigrant posted bail, was released from custody, and never seen again. This legislation closes this awful loophole and ensures that illegal immigrants are held fully accountable for their actions and that those who break our laws are swiftly detained, punished, and deported.”
Background:
More specifically, Feenstra’s Build the Wall and Fight Fentanyl Act would create two separate funds – the “Southern Border Wall Fulfillment Fund” and the “Combating The Fentanyl Epidemic Fund” – at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to deploy half of the confiscated funds to support the construction of the border wall and activate the other half of the funds to establish a grant program for fentanyl recovery services.
Eligible organizations that can receive funds to fight the fentanyl crisis include state and local law enforcement agencies, state and local health and human services agencies, rehabilitation facilities, and drug-use prevention advocacy groups.
Sarah’s Law – which Feenstra introduced alongside Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) – would amend the mandatory detention provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal immigrants criminally charged with killing or seriously injuring another person.
The full letter can be read HERE.
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