Alaska Congressman Nick Begich voted to successfully pass the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, a bill he co-sponsored with the aim of strengthening U.S. border security and ensuring that foreign nationals who commit violent crimes are held accountable for their actions.

Passed on Jan. 16, the bill seeks to strengthen the ability to deport illegal aliens who have a history of violence against women. The measure now heads to the GOP-controlled Senate. Introduced by South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, the bill drew bipartisan support with 61 Democrats voting to pass the legislation.

“Securing our borders is both a matter of national security and a matter of protecting those closest to us – family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and indeed all Americans,” Begich stated following the vote. “Foreign nationals who commit domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, child neglect, or child abandonment have no place in our nation, and I am proud to support a bill that gives law enforcement the tools they need to make our nation safer. This bill sends a clear message that foreign nationals who choose to commit violence in our nation are not welcome in our nation.”

Passage of the bill comes one week after the House advanced the Laken Riley Act to allow federal law enforcement to detain illegal aliens who commit theft-related offenses, while empowering individual states to sue the Dept. of Homeland Security for harm inflicted on their state residents due to crimes committed by illegals.

House Speaker Mike Johnson praised passage of the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, while admonishing Democrats who opposed it.

“American men, women, and children demand and deserve safety, especially after the Biden Administration opened our border and welcomed dangerous illegal aliens into our communities,” he said. “This commonsense solution should be an overwhelmingly bipartisan effort, but the American people must know only 28% of House Democrats voted to protect women from these predators.”

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