Recently, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined 19 of her colleagues—led by U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)—in introducing a bipartisan bill that will allow America to deport sexual offenders currently in the country and block those seeking to enter. This comes after a shocking report revealed that 16,320 illegal immigrants with sexual assault convictions are in the country. 

This bill, titled the Better Enforcement of Grievous Offenses by unNaturalized Emigrants (BE GONE) Act, will amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to include sexual assault and aggravated sexual violence as crimes that are defined as “aggravated felonies.”

“Criminals who illegally cross our border, including those convicted of sexual assault, should not be allowed to remain our country,” Senator Capito said. “Anyone who commits such a despicable act should be removed from our country and barred from ever returning. This is common sense policy and we have a duty to the American people to keep them safe from criminals known to be dangerous to our communities.”