Sioux City Times

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, named in memory of Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez, Jr., who died while pursuing illegal immigrants in Texas. The legislation aims to impose criminal and immigration penalties on individuals who evade law enforcement near the U.S.-Mexico border.

U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) supported the bill, stating, “Drug traffickers and illegal immigrants who threaten the lives of our border patrol agents must be detained, prosecuted, and imprisoned. That includes evading law enforcement officers at our border on high-speed chases. Tragically, Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez, Jr. was killed in this exact way because a group of criminal illegal immigrants defied orders and took off at high speed.”

The act targets those involved in high-speed pursuits within 100 miles of the border. Convicted individuals could face deportation and up to two years in prison for related crimes. If an incident results in serious injury to a border patrol agent or citizen, offenders could receive five to twenty years in federal prison. In cases resulting in death, sentences range from ten years to life imprisonment.

Rep. Feenstra emphasized accountability: “I voted for the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act in memory of Agent Raul Gonzalez, Jr., so that we hold dangerous illegal immigrants accountable for their actions. By passing this bill, we send a clear message that we will not tolerate lawlessness and chaos that endanger the lives of our border patrol agents.”