Erie County Times

HARRISBURG – Prosecutors across Pennsylvania would be required to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) whenever illegal migrants are charged with violating state law, under legislation, Senate Bill 1127, being introduced by Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-49) and Sen. Wayne Langerholc, Jr. (R-35).

Earlier this year, two NYPD officers were assaulted in broad daylight by illegal migrants. Several of the offenders had been previously arrested but not reported to ICE and were released back on the streets. The shocking crime prompted New York City Mayor Eric Adams to call for ICE to be informed when illegal migrants have been charged with violations of state law.

"Only a few weeks ago, Laken Hope Riley, a 22-year-old student at Augusta University in Georgia, was brutally murdered by an illegal migrant with multiple previous arrests by various law enforcement across the country," said Laughlin. “Unfortunately, this murder isn’t an isolated incident nationally, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection data showing hundreds of homicides and thousands of other serious crimes committed by illegal migrants – some of whom were already facing criminal charges or had previous convictions – during just the past three years. This is unconscionable and must be remedied.”

“Currently in Pennsylvania, violations of state law by illegal migrants are not required to be reported to ICE. This defies common sense and is an affront to our residents,” Langerholc said. “Our citizens expect law enforcement at all levels to work together to prevent crime. Passage of this legislation will help ensure that those expectations are met.”

CONTACTS:      David Kozak (Sen. Laughlin) 717-787-8927

Gwenn Dando (Sen. Langerholc) 717-787-5400