Rep. Mike Levin’s Statement on Recent Votes on the Laken Riley Act & Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act
Oceanside, CA—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) released the following statement regarding his votes for the Laken Riley Act and against the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act.
“As the grandchild of Mexican-American immigrants, I believe strongly in America as both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws. The Laken Riley Act is not the bill I would have written, but public safety issues—like the rise in burglaries by South American Theft Groups—are real concerns in my district. I took this vote seriously and carefully considered all sides before making my decision.
“I fully understand concerns about protecting immigrant communities and ensuring constitutional rights. However, the Riley Act does not take away due process or disproportionately target innocent immigrants. It also does not change legal rights for the accused or initiate deportations.
“On the other hand, I recently voted against the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act because it allows for deportation without a conviction, which violates due process rights. In my view, the Gonzalez Act would do more harm than good.
“If large-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants who have not committed crimes happen in our communities, I will fight back with every tool I have. In the end, we need real solutions for border security and immigration reform. I’m ready to work with anyone who wants to make that happen.”
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