Speech #1040206034

I am gratified that through the work of Senator ABRAHAM and the Judiciary Committee. S. 1664 contains some of the provisions in my legislation. as well as some additional improvements. Among them are the following: First. the bill broadens the definition of aggravated felon to include more crimes punishable by deportation. Second. it prohibits the Attorney General from releasing criminal aliens from custody. Third. it requires the Attorney General to deport criminal aliens--with certain exceptionswithin 30 days of the end of the aliens prison sentence. and mandates that such criminal aliens ordered deported by taken into custody pending deportation. Finally. it gives Federal judges the ability to order deportation of a criminal alien at the time of sentencing. To be sure. during the floor debate on this bill. many colleagues have expressed sharp differences in how they wish to go about reforming our immigration laws. However. it is my hope that all Senators would agree that deporting and excluding aliens convicted of committing serious crimes ought to be a top priority. Because fixing existing laws to accomplish this goal ought to be an equally high priority. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.