Smiths Legislation Fights Terrorism
Apr 20, 2004
Press Release
Congressman Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, today commended President Bush for his call to renew the USA PATRIOT Act and urged Congress to pass his legislation that provides law enforcement officials with new tools to fight the war on terror.
My legislation allows the Department of Homeland Security to identify and remove individuals who pose an immediate threat to the safety of the American people. Our ability to prevent acts of terror will be strengthened by this legislation, said Rep. Smith.
The fact that we have not suffered a second attack is no reason to become complacent. We must continue to pass legislation that protects Americans, stated Rep. Smith.
Rep. Smith noted that under current law a conviction for an aggravated felony triggers expedited deportation. But there are serious crimes not defined as an aggravated felony that allow terrorist aliens to remain in our country indefinitely.
The Removal of Terrorist Criminal Aliens Act of 2003 (H.R. 3106), which Rep. Smith introduced last September, has two provisions.
First, expands the law for expedited deportation to include firearms offenses, espionage, sabotage, treason, threats against the President, draft evasion, and alien smuggling. Many of these offenses are far more serious than some aggravated felonies, yet they do not trigger expedited removal.
Second, current law requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to deport aliens to the country from which they traveled, or to the country of their citizenship. This can lead to a stalemate because a number of countries refuse to take back terrorist or criminal aliens. Rep. Smiths legislation adds greater flexibility to the places aliens can be deported to.
Additionally, it authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to remove from the United States those individuals they have reason to believe pose a danger to national security.
Rep. Smith is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Select Committee on Homeland Security. He was Chairman of the House Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee that initially approved the PATRIOT Act.
My legislation allows the Department of Homeland Security to identify and remove individuals who pose an immediate threat to the safety of the American people. Our ability to prevent acts of terror will be strengthened by this legislation, said Rep. Smith.
The fact that we have not suffered a second attack is no reason to become complacent. We must continue to pass legislation that protects Americans, stated Rep. Smith.
Rep. Smith noted that under current law a conviction for an aggravated felony triggers expedited deportation. But there are serious crimes not defined as an aggravated felony that allow terrorist aliens to remain in our country indefinitely.
The Removal of Terrorist Criminal Aliens Act of 2003 (H.R. 3106), which Rep. Smith introduced last September, has two provisions.
First, expands the law for expedited deportation to include firearms offenses, espionage, sabotage, treason, threats against the President, draft evasion, and alien smuggling. Many of these offenses are far more serious than some aggravated felonies, yet they do not trigger expedited removal.
Second, current law requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to deport aliens to the country from which they traveled, or to the country of their citizenship. This can lead to a stalemate because a number of countries refuse to take back terrorist or criminal aliens. Rep. Smiths legislation adds greater flexibility to the places aliens can be deported to.
Additionally, it authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to remove from the United States those individuals they have reason to believe pose a danger to national security.
Rep. Smith is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Select Committee on Homeland Security. He was Chairman of the House Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee that initially approved the PATRIOT Act.