Crimes that are committed by illegal aliens are 100% preventable. That’s why I’ve introduced twin bills this year aimed at preventing, deterring and punishing these crimes. And that’s why I’m proud to stand with President Donald Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and the brave men and women of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as they work to remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from our communities.
I believe Joe Biden’s wide-open border played a major role in why President Trump was reelected last November. Thank God he is back in office and has sealed the border. But we still have to deal with the criminals who are here. That’s why I, alongside my colleague Senator John Cornyn, introduced the Kayla Hamilton Act, which would require the federal government to conduct thorough background and criminal record checks on unaccompanied alien children (UACs) prior to their placement in the U.S. Unaccompanied alien children are those who are under 18 and do not have legal status in the U.S. and also do not have a parent or legal guardian who can take care of them. The legislation, which was introduced last month, is named in honor of a young woman who was sexually assaulted and brutally murdered by a 17-year-old MS-13 gang member and UAC who illegally entered the country through the southern border and was released into the U.S. by the Biden administration. My bill would aim to prevent a tragic situation like this from happening again.
Beyond protecting our own, we must create disincentives for illegals to commit additional crimes. That is why Senator Cornyn and I also introduced the Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act in May. This legislation would codify President Trump’s executive order subjecting illegal immigrants who kill American citizens to the death penalty. We have to be 100% clear on this—if you are an illegal alien and you kill a U.S. citizen, you deserve the death penalty. We have to stop tiptoeing around this. Our job is to protect Americans, not dangerous illegals.
President Trump, Secretary Noem, and the men and women of ICE are working around the clock to remove criminal illegal aliens before they have the chance to commit more crimes. Alabama families have seen what such targeted enforcement looks like: just so far this year, ICE has announced the arrests of a series of individuals with serious criminal convictions in our state.
I’ve compiled a few of the “worst of the worst” examples here. Francisco FelipeJuan, who came here illegally from Guatemala, was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and multiple assaults in DeKalb County. German Osvaldo Cortez-Chajon, also from Guatemala, was convicted of traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act in Dale County. Newton Njuguna Githiri, who arrived from Kenya, was convicted of burglary and sexual abuse of a minor – a seven-year-old little girl – in Jefferson County.
One more example of the “worst of the worst” that President Trump and Secretary Noem are helping take off our streets: Ribvar Karimi, who was arrested by ICE on June 22 in Locust Fork. Karimi reportedly served as an Iranian Army sniper from 2018 to 2021. At the time of his arrest, he had an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card in his possession. He entered the U.S. in October 2024 under the Biden administration. Karimi didn’t adjust his status, which is required by law. He was placed in custody and is pending removal proceedings.
These are not distant situations happening far away—these all happened right in our backyards. I love Alabama—and I don’t want my grandchildren growing up with these criminals in our communities and schools. They are life-or-death matters for Alabama families. When ICE removes killers like FelipeJuan, child predators like CortezChajon and Githiri, and potential national security threats like Karimi, Alabama’s neighborhoods are safer, Alabama’s children are safer, and Alabama’s potential victims are spared.
Policy and enforcement must move together. As a result, I am working in the Senate to toughen federal law to keep Alabamians safe from criminal illegal aliens. At the same time, President Trump and Secretary Noem are leading the effort to enforce federal law, removing those criminal illegal aliens from Alabama communities.
Finally, to the brave men and women of ICE and Alabama’s law enforcement: thank you. Your work is difficult and essential, and it saves lives. With your heroism, bills passed in Congress, and strong leadership from the President and his cabinet, we will keep the “worst of the worst” off Alabama’s streets—working towards the day when Alabamians don’t have to worry about crimes at the hands of illegal aliens who shouldn’t be here in the first place.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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