Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act

Bill Number: H.R. 30
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Immigration
Status: Passed House
Latest Action: 2025-01-17: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Updated: 2026-07-11T01:43:28Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The legislation, titled the "Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act," aims to enhance public safety by expanding immigration restrictions on non-citizens (aliens) who have committed or been convicted of specific violent crimes, particularly those involving sex offenses, domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, or violations of protection orders. It seeks to prevent such individuals from entering or remaining in the United States.

Key Provisions

Inadmissibility Grounds: Amends Section 212(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to add new categories making aliens inadmissible if they:
Have been convicted of, admit to committing, or admit acts constituting a "sex offense" (defined under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act as crimes like rape, sexual assault, or child molestation, including conspiracies to commit them).
Have been convicted of, admit to committing, or admit acts constituting domestic violence (as defined in existing INA provisions), stalking, child abuse/neglect/abandonment, or violating a protection order (a court order protecting someone from threats, harassment, or injury).
Deportability Grounds: Amends Section 237(a)(2) of the INA to:
Broaden the definition of domestic violence to include crimes as defined in the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, regardless of whether the state receives related federal funding.
Add a new category for deportation based on conviction of a sex offense or conspiracy to commit one.
These grounds apply even without a formal conviction if the alien admits to the acts.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Expands inadmissibility beyond current criminal grounds (e.g., crimes of moral turpitude) to explicitly include sex offenses, stalking, child-related crimes, and protection order violations, with a focus on admissions of guilt as sufficient evidence.
Strengthens deportability by clarifying and widening domestic violence definitions and introducing standalone grounds for sex offenses, which were previously covered under broader categories like aggravated felonies but not always explicitly.
Shifts some headings and structures in the INA for clarity, such as rephrasing "crimes against children and domestic violence" to "domestic violence and crimes against children."

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: Increases workload for agencies like U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) during visa/admission processes and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings, potentially requiring more background checks and hearings.
On Citizens and Residents: Enhances protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse by facilitating removal of non-citizen perpetrators, which could reduce recidivism risks in communities.
On International Relations: May strain ties with countries receiving deportees, especially if they lack resources to manage returning individuals with criminal histories, and could affect bilateral agreements on immigration enforcement.
Overall, it could lead to stricter immigration screening and higher deportation rates for qualifying non-citizens, influencing migration patterns from high-crime origin countries.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Non-Citizen Immigrants: Individuals with relevant criminal histories (convicted or admitted) face barriers to entry, legal status, or face mandatory removal, particularly affecting visa applicants, green card holders, and undocumented immigrants.
Victims and Advocacy Groups: Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse (including women's rights organizations) benefit from stronger removal mechanisms; groups like those supporting immigrant victims may see mixed effects if family separations occur.
Law Enforcement and Immigration Agencies: Local police, DHS, and DOJ gain clearer tools for collaboration on cases involving non-citizens, but may need training on new definitions.
Legal and Community Organizations: Immigrant rights groups could oppose it for potential overreach, while public safety advocates support it.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Relies on existing INA frameworks but introduces broader "admission" standards, which could raise evidentiary challenges in immigration courts (e.g., proving "essential elements" of a crime without conviction). It cross-references definitions from other federal laws, ensuring consistency but potentially complicating enforcement in states with varying crime definitions.
Constitutional: May intersect with due process rights under the Fifth Amendment, as admissions could be used without full criminal trials; however, immigration law has wide latitude for non-citizens. No direct challenges to equal protection are evident, though it targets specific crimes often linked to gender-based violence.
Political: Positions immigration policy as a tool for addressing gender-based and child violence, potentially appealing to public safety priorities but drawing criticism for focusing on "illegal aliens" without addressing citizen perpetrators. As a House-passed bill referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, it signals partisan divides on immigration reform.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1]

Cosponsors (60)

Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5], Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22], Rep. Perry, Scott [R-PA-10], Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14], Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9], Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5], Rep. Fitzgerald, Scott [R-WI-5], Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8], Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4], Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4], Rep. Gonzales, Tony [R-TX-23], Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3], Rep. Biggs, Sheri [R-SC-3], Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36], Rep. De La Cruz, Monica [R-TX-15], Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1], Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5], Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15], Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8], Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6], Rep. Onder, Robert [R-MO-3], Rep. Clyde, Andrew S. [R-GA-9], Rep. Rulli, Michael A. [R-OH-6], Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2], Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8], Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1], Rep. Lee, Laurel M. [R-FL-15], Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham [R-AZ-8], Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2], Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12], Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3], Rep. Harris, Mark [R-NC-8], Rep. Joyce, John [R-PA-13], Rep. Moore, Riley [R-WV-2], Rep. Haridopolos, Mike [R-FL-8], Rep. Carter, John R. [R-TX-31], Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26], Rep. McDowell, Addison [R-NC-6], Rep. Mackenzie, Ryan [R-PA-7], Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6], Rep. Goldman, Craig [R-TX-12], Rep. Gooden, Lance [R-TX-5], Rep. Bean, Aaron [R-FL-4], Rep. Ellzey, Jake [R-TX-6], Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2], Rep. Barr, Andy [R-KY-6] and 10 more

Recent Actions

2025-01-17: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
2025-01-16: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2025-01-16: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 274 - 145 (Roll no. 17). (text: CR H191) (Roll call 17)
2025-01-16: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 274 - 145 (Roll no. 17). (text: CR H191) (Roll call 17)
2025-01-16: On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 206 - 213 (Roll no. 16). (Roll call 16)
2025-01-16: The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
2025-01-16: Ms. Moore (WI) moved to recommit to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H200)
2025-01-16: The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
2025-01-16: DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 30.
2025-01-16: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 5. (consideration: CR H191-201)
2025-01-03: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
2025-01-03: Introduced in House
2025-01-03: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act — issued 2025-01-16 — PDF (6 pages)
Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act — issued 2025-01-03 — PDF (4 pages)
Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act — issued 2025-01-17 — PDF (4 pages)