On January 20, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order regarding a crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Since then, raids have begun in various states across the country and are still ongoing.
To further strengthen this operation, the U.S. House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress, has passed a new bill called the “The Agents Raul Gonzalez Officer Security Act.” According to this bill, if any undocumented immigrant deliberately commits a crime or attacks law enforcement officers or border guards, strict legal action can be taken against them.
Additionally, if an immigration seeker attempts to evade border security and enters within 100 miles (161 kilometers) of the border using a car, motorcycle, or any other motor vehicle, they can also be arrested and prosecuted under this bill.
On Thursday, after the bill was introduced, 264 members of the House of Representatives voted in favor, while 155 voted against it.
As per regulations, the bill will now be sent to the Senate, the upper chamber of Congress. If passed there, it will go to the President’s office for his signature, after which it will become law.
After the bill was passed, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, said in a briefing:
“This bill sends a strong message—those who are crossing the border illegally and endangering the safety of our officers must pay the price, and that price will be severe.”
The bill is named after Raul Gonzalez, a member of the U.S. Border Patrol, who was killed in 2022 while on duty at the Texas border during an attack by illegal immigrants attempting to enter the U.S.