Jose Luis Correa: “Let's be clear: Under current law, people who commit sexual offenses are already inadmissible to this country and…”

“Let's be clear: Under current law, people who commit sexual offenses are already inadmissible to this country and subject to deportation. Let's be clear: I fully support, all of us fully support, getting convicted sexual predators off of our streets, irrespective of their legal status. Sexual crimes are the most heinous crimes. However, to solve a crime, first you have to report it. Sadly, sex crimes are the most underreported crimes there are. Mr. Speaker, in Orange County, we have worked for years to make sure to earn the trust so the immigrant community can step up and report crimes, and this bill is going to undo all of that work. This bill, by using the broader VAWA definition, will make victims who acted in self- defense, victims who were wrongly accused by their abusers, unable to defend themselves, and subject to deportation. This bill will also apply to individuals with legal status, people with green cards, students, temporary workers, DACA holders, and TPS holders. Mr. Speaker, this bill will now give crime victims all the reasons in the world not to report a crime. This bill punishes victims, pushes victims back into the shadows, telling the victims if they report a crime, they are subject to deportation. I ask my colleagues to let us go back. Let us redraft this bill to do what it is intended to do, to get sexual predators off our streets and to protect the victims of sex crimes, the most heinous crimes. Mr.…”