S. 271: Stop Illegal Reentry Act

This bill, titled the Stop Illegal Reentry Act, proposes amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act to enhance penalties for individuals who illegally reenter the United States after being removed. The key points of the bill are as follows:

Increased Penalties for Illegal Reentry

The bill outlines stricter penalties for aliens who have been removed from the U.S. and subsequently attempt to reenter. The amendments include the following specifics:

• Individuals who have been deported or removed and try to enter or are found in the U.S. without permission from the Secretary of Homeland Security may face fines or imprisonment for up to 5 years.
• If an individual has prior convictions of certain misdemeanors or felonies prior to their removal, the penalties increase significantly, with a potential imprisonment of up to 10 years.
• Aliens who have been removed multiple times or have specific criminal records face even harsher penalties, including mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 5 to 20 years in prison.

Definitions and Scope

The bill clarifies the definition of "removal" to include situations where an alien agrees to be removed even during a criminal trial. This broadens the scope of who is considered to have been removed.

Specific Offenses and Penalties

• Aliens convicted of aggravated felonies before their removal will face a mandatory prison sentence of at least 5 years if they reenter.
• Those found in the U.S. after being removed three or more times also face significant penalties, which can include being imprisoned for up to 10 years.
• Individuals with three or more misdemeanors involving drugs or crimes against persons will receive increased penalties as well.

Implementation and Oversight

The bill assigns the responsibility of overseeing these changes to the Secretary of Homeland Security, shifting some definitions and references originally aimed at the Attorney General to the new department.

Relevant Companies

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