Both U.S. Senators representing Texas have introduced joint legislation aimed at addressing drunk driving offenses committed by individuals who are in the United States illegally, particularly when those offenses result in serious injury or death. U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn announced the proposal, titled the Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act, arguing that existing immigration law does not adequately deter or punish such crimes.
The bill seeks to amend current federal law in two primary ways. First, it would classify as an aggravated felony any offense related to driving under the influence committed by an illegal alien when that offense results in severe bodily injury or death. Under immigration law, aggravated felonies can carry significant consequences, including mandatory detention and removal, as well as bars on future lawful entry into the country.
Second, the legislation would deny entry into the United States for any foreign national who has been convicted of, or who admits to committing, acts that meet the essential elements of the drunk driving offenses described in the bill. Supporters argue that this provision would help prevent repeat offenders from reentering the country and committing additional crimes.
In a press statement announcing the bill, Cruz said the measure is intended to address what he described as a gap in existing law. “This legislation closes a legal loophole that has prevented and would continue to prevent law enforcement from protecting Americans,” he said, adding that he is urging his Senate colleagues to support the proposal.
The bill has attracted a group of co-sponsors that includes Republicans Ted Budd and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Eric Schmitt of Missouri, James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, as well as Democrat Ruben Gallego of Arizona. The bipartisan backing suggests at least some cross-party agreement on the need to address the issue, though broader debate is likely as the legislation moves forward.
Cornyn emphasized deterrence as a key goal of the bill, arguing that tougher penalties are necessary to prevent future offenses. “Zero mercy should be shown to illegal aliens who not only defy our laws by unlawfully entering the country but also take it a step further to drive drunk, threatening American lives,” Cornyn said. He added that strengthening immigration law in this area would send a clear message about accountability and permanent consequences.
The senators cited specific cases to illustrate their concerns. One involved Arturo Cruz-Badillo, a 44-year-old Mexican national convicted last year in Corpus Christi. According to the senators, Cruz-Badillo had previously been deported three times and had seven prior drunk driving convictions. Another case referenced was that of Cesar Ramirez Castro, a 25-year-old Mexican citizen charged with intoxication manslaughter in Arlington after a crash on Interstate 20 that killed a 22-year-old man.
At the same time, broader research has raised questions about the relationship between illegal immigration and drunk driving rates. A 2019 study by the Cato Institute found no correlation between a higher percentage of illegal aliens in a population and increased drunk driving injuries or deaths. The study concluded that, while its findings were correlative rather than causal, the data did not show that illegal immigrants increase overall drunk driving fatalities.
