Capito, Rubio Introduce Bill to Prevent Illegal Immigrants from Using Arrest Warrants as TSA ID

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, joined Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), along with a group of their colleagues, in introducing the Strengthening Enforcement to Curtail Unlawful, Risky Entrance to Flights Act, or SECURE Flights Act of 2022, to prevent the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) from allowing illegal aliens to use immigration enforcement documents, such as arrest warrants, as identification when boarding commercial flights.

“It really isn’t complicated: those who are in the United States illegally should not be allowed to use their arrest warrants as forms of identification to fly around our country on commercial airlines,” Senator Capito said. “In the midst of a rising crime wave and an ongoing crisis at our southern border, we must do more to crack down on illegal immigration, not less. This commonsense bill would reverse TSA’s inexplicable policy, prioritize the rule of law, and take steps to actually address the consequences of the administration’s self-inflicted illegal immigration crisis.”

Specifically, the SECURE Flights Act would clarify that DHS-issued documents, such as arrest or deportation warrants, are not valid for commercial airline travel.

Further, if a traveler presents one of those documents, the bill would require the TSA agent to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and local law enforcement to determine whether the individual is in violation of any terms of release. If the individual is found to be in violation, he or she would not be allowed to fly, with an exception if the individual is traveling for purposes of self-deportation.  

Along with Senators Capito and Rubio, cosponsors of the bill include, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Jim Risch (R-Idaho). 

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