WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the Keep Our Communities Safe Act, legislation that would close the legal loophole that requires immigration authorities to release back into the United States illegal immigrants who have not been accepted for deportation to other countries after being detained for six months – a practice also referred to as “catch and release.” 

“The failed policies of the Biden Administration and loopholes in our immigration laws have created a crisis at our southern border that is the worst our country has ever faced,” said Senator Tillis. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation, which fixes current law that prevents DHS agents from detaining dangerous, criminal illegal immigrants who threaten national security or the safety of American communities.”

Full text of the bill can be found here. 

Background

The Keep Our Communities Safe Act closes the loophole that prevents DHS from detaining non-removable immigrants beyond the current Supreme Court-mandated six months in these specific situations:

• The alien will be removed in the reasonably foreseeable future;
• The alien would have been removed but for the alien’s refusal to make all reasonable efforts to comply and cooperate with the Secretary’s efforts to remove him;
• The alien has a highly contagious disease;
• Release would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences;
• Release would threaten national security; or
• Release would threaten the safety of the community and the alien either is an aggravated felon or has committed a crime of violence.

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