Kirk, Community Leaders And Sheriffs: Deport Illegal Alien Gang Criminals Following Conviction

Press Release

Kirk, Community Leaders And Sheriffs: Deport Illegal Alien Gang Criminals Following Conviction

U.S. Representative Mark Kirk joined with community leaders and area sheriffs today to announce the Alien Gang Removal Act, new federal legislation to crack down on illegal alien gang activity. Congressman Mark Kirk was joined by Mrs. Rosa Reyes-Prosen, Chair of the Latino Advisory Board, Pastor Laudir Lugo of Revival Temple Church in Waukegan, Evelyn Chenier, Executive Director of Waukegan's Family First Center, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran and Kendall County Sheriff Richard Randall.

Kirk disclosed staggering statistics from the Government Accountability Office, which found that 27 percent of federal prisoners are previously-convicted criminal aliens, costing taxpayers $1.2 billion a year. And a study conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of a sample of 55,322 convicted illegal aliens found that each inmate had been arrested an average of eight times for a total of 459,614 arrests. These arrests accounted for nearly 700,000 criminal offenses. (Graphic below)

"Illinois now leads the nation in per capita gang membership, fueled in large part by the growth of suburban street gangs," Congressman Kirk said. "While most gang members are American citizens, we are seeing the rise of transnational drug gangs that are bringing new levels of violence and criminal activity to our communities. The national statistics on repeat offenders are staggering and these gangs are backed by weapons and resources that can easily overwhelm suburban law enforcement. Shockingly, involvement in a criminal street gang does not prevent you from entering the United States. The Alien Gang Removal Act reinforces what should be commonsense: if you are a gang member and are convicted of a crime involving weapons, ammunition, child pornography or illegal narcotics, you should be deported."

"The consequences of illegal immigration from a criminal justice perspective are substantial and well documented," said Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran. "Many elected officials are afraid to address these difficult issues. I commend Congressman Kirk on having the courage to do the right thing."

"Suburban counties are seeing a rise in gang-related crime as more criminals relocate from Chicago," Kendall County Sheriff Richard Randall said. "This trend corresponds with an increasing number of illegal aliens who come to the U.S. for the sole purpose of getting involved in street gangs. Local law enforcement needs federal help to meet this challenge - the Alien Gang Removal Act provides that support."

The Alien Gang Removal Act amends federal immigration law to include membership in a criminal street gang as a disqualifying criterion for entry into the United States. The legislation also creates new grounds for deportation after a member of an officially-designated criminal gang is found to have been convicted of any felonies or criminal misdemeanors involving weapons, ammunition, child pornography or illegal narcotics.

The additional listing of deportable crimes will further limit illegal alien gang members' eligibility for relief from removal proceedings. The Alien Gang Removal Act authorizes the U.S. Attorney General to designate criminal street gang for the purposes of member identification.

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