A representative in Pennsylvania has just announced his plans to introduce legislation that would require the law to hand the death penalty to illegal immigrants convicted of murder.
The bill, authored by Rep. Eric Davanzo (R-Westmoreland), argued that any undocumented immigrant who receives a guilty verdict on a first-degree murder charge should be sentenced to death immediately. Davanzo wrote that he believes that "any individual who unlawfully enters this country and commits a murder should face the most severe consequences under the law."
Since 2021, the number of migrants who have "unlawfully crossed our southern border is greater than the individual populations of at least 38 states," according to the legislation. Davanzo went on to list a "rash of high-profile, violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants," including a Venezuelan national who imprisoned, raped and murdered 22-year-old University of Georgia student Laken Riley.
"At a time when the Federal government has demonstrated an unmistakable aversion to countering this ever-increasing surge in illegal immigration and some district attorneys of this Commonwealth refuse to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detainers, drastic measures are needed to deter violent crime and illegal migration, promote justice for victims and their families, and ensure uniformity in punishment," the legislation reads.
Currently, an illegal immigrant who murders someone could face prosecution for the crime, such as a life sentence, deportation or, in some instances, their case could be transferred to their home country. However, it is important to note that illegal immigrants are prosecuted for their crimes in Pennsylvania.