S. 271 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jan 28, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryIncreases penalties for illegal reentry to U.S
The bill makes the criminal penalties stricter for people who reenter the United States illegally after being removed or denied entry. Right now, the punishment can be up to two years in prison. This bill would increase it to up to five years for a first or second reentry, up to 10 years for three or more reentries, and 5 to 20 years for people who had been convicted of serious crimes before being removed.
How it affects you
This change would mainly affect people in immigration law enforcement and the criminal justice system who handle cases involving illegal reentry. For the general public, it doesn't create new effects on daily life, but it does make the legal consequences stricter for those who attempt to reenter the country illegally after removal.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jan 28, 2025)
Stop Illegal Reentry Act
This bill increases criminal penalties for certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who illegally reenter the United States after removal or exclusion.
Generally, an individual who had been denied entry into or removed from the United States and who later enters or attempts to enter the United States without prior approval from the Department of Homeland Security shall be fined, imprisoned for up to five years, or both. Current law requires a fine, imprisonment for up to two years, or both, for such an individual.
An individual who had been denied entry or removed three or more times and who later enters or attempts to enter the United States shall be fined, imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both.
An individual who was convicted of an aggravated felony or convicted at least two times before removal or departure and who subsequently enters or tries to enter the United States shall be imprisoned at least 5 years and for up to 20 years and may also be fined. Currently, there is no minimum term of imprisonment for an individual who reenters after a conviction for an aggravated felony, and there are no criminal penalties for a reentering individual who had been convicted at least two times (other than the penalties for illegal reentry generally).
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 271
A BILL
Stop Illegal Reentry Act
Sponsor: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) · Introduced Jan 28, 2025 · Immigration · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jan 28, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.”