On Wednesday, 158 Democrats in Congress voted against the Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act. This legislation aims to ensure that illegal immigrants who have admitted to or are convicted of sexual offenses or domestic violence against women and children would be deemed inadmissible and deportable. Among those who opposed the resolution were New Mexico U.S. Democratic Representatives Melanie Stansbury (CD 1) and Teresa Leger Fernandez (CD 3).
The act passed with a vote of 266-158, receiving unanimous support from present Republicans.
Previously, Representatives Stansbury and Leger Fernandez, along with Rep. Gabe Vasquez, also voted against the Laken Riley Act. This bill would allow the Department of Homeland Security to detain certain illegal immigrants arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. The legislation is named after Laken Riley, who was murdered by an illegal immigrant convicted of crimes in New York and Georgia but re-released into the U.S.
All three New Mexico Democratic representatives have not condemned President Biden and Vice President Harris’s border policies, which critics argue have led to numerous female and child victims. These include:
- Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl assaulted and murdered by two Venezuelan illegal immigrant suspects.
- Dayana Garcia, a 25-year-old woman found murdered by an illegal immigrant suspect.
- Kayla Hamilton, a 20-year-old woman raped and strangled by an illegal immigrant suspect with ties to the MS-13 gang.
- Rachel Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five raped and beaten to death by an illegal immigrant suspect.
Recent incidents involving illegal immigrants include:
- A Venezuelan gang member charged with multiple counts including Domestic Disorderly Conduct and Sexual Assault.
- A Salvadorian arrested for keeping two young boys locked up in chains.
- A Bolivian arrested multiple times for felony counts related to child pornography.
Republican Party of New Mexico Spokeswoman Ash Soular commented on these votes: “Anyone with common sense and decency is wondering how someone could vote to protect illegal immigrants from deportation who have committed violent and sexually abusive acts against women and children while denying their victims the right to safety and justice.” She added that Representatives Stansbury and Leger Fernandez “should be ashamed of themselves” for prioritizing "the rights of illegal immigrants who commit horrendous crimes above the safety of New Mexico women and children."
Soular urged New Mexicans to hold these representatives accountable at the ballot box this November.