Sarah's Law

Full Title:
Sarah's Law

Summary#

Sarah's Law amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (section 236(c)) to require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain certain noncitizens who have been charged in the United States with a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. The bill adds a category of aliens to the mandatory-detention list: those who (A) were not inspected and admitted into the United States, (B) held a nonimmigrant visa (or similar admission document) that has been revoked under section 221(i), or (C) are described in section 237(a)(1)(C)(i), and who have been charged with a qualifying crime.

The bill also requires the ICE Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, upon encountering or learning about such an alien, to make reasonable efforts to obtain victim identity information from law enforcement and other sources. ICE must provide the victim, or if the victim is deceased a parent, guardian, spouse, or closest living relative, with timely and ongoing information including the alien's full name, aliases, date of birth, and nationality; the alien's immigration status and criminal history; the alien's custody status and any custody changes; and a description of any U.S. efforts to remove the alien from the country. The bill includes a savings provision that says it does not limit victims' rights under 18 U.S.C. 3771.

What it means for you#

  • If a noncitizen who meets the listed admission or visa conditions is charged in the U.S. with a crime that caused death or serious bodily injury, ICE must detain that person when ICE encounters or learns about them. The bill applies to people who have been charged, not only convicted.
  • Victims of those crimes, or their closest family if the victim is dead, may receive regular updates from ICE about the charged person's identity, immigration status, criminal history, custody status, and removal efforts.
  • The measure directs ICE to try to get victim identity information from law enforcement and other sources so it can notify victims or family members.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text describing proponents' arguments. The bill lists several U.S. Senators as sponsors.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text describing opponents' arguments.