Rounds Cosponsors Bill to Block Illegal Aliens with Criminal Gang Ties from Entering the United States

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) cosponsored Singh’s Law, legislation that would bar aliens associated with a criminal gang and convicted of a crime from entering the United States. The legislation was introduced earlier this year by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

“Foreign criminals and known gang members who pose a threat to South Dakota families should not be allowed into the United States,” said Rounds. “This legislation closes loopholes and gives law enforcement officials additional tools and authority to keep dangerous aliens out of our country.”

Under this legislation, aliens with gang associations also would be disqualified from receiving asylum, temporary protected status, special immigrant juvenile visas, and other forms of relief from removal. Additionally, the bill would grant the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to designate criminal gangs under the Immigration and Nationality Act and create a $200 million federal grant to law-enforcement agencies to combat criminal gangs. 

The bill is named in honor of Corporal Ronil Singh, a police officer in Newman, California who was killed on December 26, 2018. An illegal immigrant with known gang affiliations and two prior DUI arrests has been charged with murdering Corporal Singh. Several illegal immigrants have been charged with helping Corporal Singh's alleged killer try to flee the country. Singh's Law provides U.S. law-enforcement agencies with additional tools to combat criminal gangs operating in the United States and makes sure that illegal aliens with gang ties and prior criminal convictions are promptly removed from the country.

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