Mr. President. today I rise to introduce a bill that will amend several parts of our existing immigration laws. specifically those that fall under the umbrella of the Immigration and Nationality Act. These changes are aimed at making our immigration laws not only fairer but more efficient. The first change will amend Section 240(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. In 1996. the laws applying to criminal aliens were made overly restrictive. For example. all persons guilty of aggravated feloniesthe number of crimes that fall into this category was greatly expanded and made retroactive in 1996are now ineligible for virtually any form of leniency. This means that many people. who have led exemplary lives for many years. now find themselves deportable for offenses committed decades ago. They are also subject to mandatory detention and have no chance for an immigration judge to evaluate their individual circumstances. This is unfair. My second change amends Section 240A.(1)(a) of the same act. At present. the Attorney General has the authority to stop the deportation of a lawful resident who has been in this country for seven years. The 1996 changes to the Immigration and Nationality Act now bar this relief for anyone convicted of an aggravated felony. This provision has led to many injustices because of the sheer number of offenses that are now aggravated felonies. I propose that we deny relief only to those who have been convicted of aggravated felonies that carry a penalty of five years or more in prison.
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Immigration deportable deportation immigration