On Thursday, 37 House Democrats voted in favor of a plan that would deport illegal immigrants convicted of driving under the influence (DUI).
The bill was presented by conservative Republican Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama and passed by a vote of 246 to 160.
No Republican voted against the bill, which was opposed by 160 Democrats.
Democrats who supported the legislation included Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, as well as moderate Reps. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., Jared Golden, D-Maine, Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., Don Davis, D-N.C., and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.
“Today’s vote in the House sends a clear message: if you are a guest in this country, and you break our laws and put American lives at risk by driving under the influence, there will be consequences,” Moore told reporters.
Moore said the law is named after Jeremy and Angel Seay, a couple from Moore’s own neighborhood who were slain by an illegal immigrant who was found to be driving drunk.
It is also named after dead Arizona police officer Brandon Mendoza, who was killed by an illegal immigrant who was caught driving under the influence.
Democrats rejected the law, claiming it was an attempt at fearmongering.
“I participated in the judiciary hearings that led to this bill being sent to the floor, and I carefully reviewed the majority report. There’s absolutely no evidence in that hearing or report showing a causal connection between immigration status and drunk driving,” Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., said when the House Rules Committee debated the bill earlier this week.
“And most notably, for all this talk, this legislation takes no real meaningful action to repair our broken immigration system.”
Moore, however, claimed he was “amazed” that 160 Democrats voted against the bill.
“It just shows that if it comes to anything about holding illegal immigrants accountable, even if it’s killing our own people in drunk driving cases, they’re against any kind of reforms on immigration,” Mr. Moore said.
House Democrats’ senior leadership, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, voted against the bill, along with 160 others.
To take effect, the Act must be passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Donald Trump.
