Senate Republicans introduced legislation Thursday meant to block gang members from entering the United States or applying for asylum.
The bill, largely the work of Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) is named Singh's Law, in honor of slain police officer Ronil Singh. Singh, an officer in Newman California, was murdered in December of 2018 by an illegal immigrant with known gang affiliations and two prior DUI arrests.
Cotton promised to introduce a measure in honor of Singh earlier this month, as part of a broader commitment to combatting illegal immigration and transnational crime. Now, his proposed law has the backing of Republican colleagues Sens. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Chuck Grassley (Iowa) and Thom Tillis (N.C.).
"Corporal Singh is dead because we failed to secure our border and enforce our immigration laws," Cotton said Thursday. "This bill is our attempt to honor Corporal Singh's vast sacrifice and ensure our communities are better protected from illegal-alien gang members."
If implemented, Singh's Law would prohibit people associated with a criminal gang and previously convicted of a crime from entering the United States. It would also bar illegal immigrants with a gang association from receiving asylum, temporary protected status, a special immigrant juvenile visa, or other forms of protection from deportation. These changes would make it easier for law enforcement to swiftly deport illegal immigrants with gang affiliations, like many members of the infamous gang MS-13.
"We cannot allow illegal immigrants with known gang affiliations to stay in the U.S. or receive asylum," said Tillis. "This much-needed legislation will provide law enforcement with more tools and resources to combat criminal gangs and help keep our communities safe."
The House of Representatives has previously passed similar legislation, Cotton's office noted, in the form of the Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act. Rep. Chip Roy (R., Texas) has also introduced a companion bill to Singh's Law in the House.