• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Saturday, September 23, 2023
The Iowa Torch
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
The Iowa Torch
The Iowa Torch
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

Ernst: Help Restore Justice in Our Broken Immigration System, Pass Sarah’s Law

Joni Ernst: Sarah’s Law is a commonsense effort that would prevent tragedies – like what happened to the Root family – from ever happening again.

Joni ErnstbyJoni Ernst
January 29, 2021
in Opinion
Reading Time: 2 mins read
Ernst Expresses Concern About Trump’s Upcoming Senate Impeachment Trial

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has served in the U.S. Senate since 2015.

ADVERTISEMENT

Last September, my daughter Libby celebrated her twenty-first birthday. While the pandemic halted any large-scale birthday plans, I was glad that she and a few of her friends at the United States Military Academy were able to safely celebrate the occasion. She’s in her third year at West Point—recently got engaged—and I am so proud of her. And like any mother, I’d do anything for her.

RELATED POSTS

Feenstra: Combating President Biden’s electric vehicle mandates

Feenstra: What I’ve learned on my agriculture tour

Schmitt: Strong Women Leaders Work For Iowa. They Can Work For America Too.

That’s why, when I first heard the heart-wrenching story of Sarah Root, I knew I had to do something. Sarah Root was a twenty-one-year-old Iowan from Council Bluffs, not far from my home in Red Oak. On the night of her graduation, Sarah was tragically struck and killed by Edwin Mejia, who entered the country illegally and was driving drunk – three times over the legal limit. While Mejia was initially detained by local law enforcement and faced state charges of motor vehicle homicide, a loophole in U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) policy under the Obama Administration allowed him to post bond, disappear, and escape justice. Almost five years later, Mejia remains at-large.

Iowa families should be able to trust that the federal government will do everything possible to hold murderers accountable. That’s why, since 2016, I’ve been working to pass Sarah’s Law—my bill in honor of Sarah Root—which would require ICE to take custody of an illegal immigrant who is charged with a crime resulting in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. The legislation also requires ICE to make reasonable efforts to identify and provide relevant information to the crime victims or their families. Under this bill, Sarah’s killer would have been detained by law enforcement and not allowed to flee from justice. The Root family would have been kept up-to-date on his status and federal immigration authorities’ efforts to remove him from the country.

Sarah’s Law is a commonsense effort that would prevent tragedies – like what happened to the Root family – from ever happening again. But sadly, partisan politics continue to get in the way of passing it.

The Trump Administration was successful in implementing parts of this important legislation through an executive order which prioritized prosecuting illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes. But, as many expected, the Biden Administration is already working to roll back immigration enforcement.

ADVERTISEMENT

But I’m not giving up—and neither is Sarah’s mom, Michelle, who has become a dear friend. As Michelle said, “I don’t get [Sarah] back after this. This [Sarah’s Law] is for everyone else. This is to help so the next person doesn’t have to go through the same thing.”

So this week, ahead of the fifth anniversary of Sarah’s death, I reintroduced Sarah’s Law with the support of nineteen of my colleagues—more than ever before.

It’s simple: Sarah’s Law brings us one step closer to restoring justice in our broken immigration system by allowing federal law enforcement to detain and prosecute violent criminals. With my friend Michelle Root by my side, I’m going to keep fighting to get this bill across the finish line—because that’s what any mom would do.

Tags: Illegal ImmigrationSarah RootSarah's Law
ShareTweetShare
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Axne Pushes Loan Relief for Rural Communities with First Bill of 2021

Next Post

Iowa Lawmakers Send Proposed Gun Rights Amendment to Voters

Joni Ernst

Joni Ernst

Joni Ernst has represented Iowa in the U.S. Senate since 2015. A Republican from Red Oak, Ernst served in the Iowa State Senate from 2011 to 2014, and in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1993 to 2015, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

Related Posts

Miller-Meeks Asks If Feds Are Prepared to Support States, Cities Fight Cyber-Attacks
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: My resolution to protect our schools from Biden’s failed border policies

June 27, 2023
Ernst: Let’s build the border wall instead of charging taxpayers to babysit materials
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: Securing our border and protecting Americans

June 2, 2023
Ernst: Let’s build the border wall instead of charging taxpayers to babysit materials
Opinion

Ernst: Biden’s border blind eye

May 16, 2023
Ernst: Let’s build the border wall instead of charging taxpayers to babysit materials
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: Ensuring proper border security

October 31, 2022
Ernst: Let’s build the border wall instead of charging taxpayers to babysit materials
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: Defending our border and protecting our citizens

July 26, 2022
Ernst: I witnessed the crisis at our Southern border.
Opinion

Ernst: I witnessed the crisis at our Southern border.

July 25, 2022
Next Post
Group Pushes for Tax Cuts with Iowa’s Projected Revenue Growth

Iowa Lawmakers Send Proposed Gun Rights Amendment to Voters

Longtime Polk County Treasurer Mary Maloney Dies Unexpectedly

Longtime Polk County Treasurer Mary Maloney Dies Unexpectedly

Sign-Up For Our Daily Updates

Get The Iowa Torch right in your inbox!

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

Recommended Articles

Regents Board President pauses new DEI programs at Iowa’s public universities

Regents Board President pauses new DEI programs at Iowa’s public universities

March 16, 2023
Axne Calls for President Trump’s Cabinet to Invoke the 25th Amendment

Axne Votes to Eliminate Private Sales of Firearms

March 11, 2021
Hinson, Grassley Discuss $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Package

Hinson, Grassley Discuss $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Package

November 16, 2021

Popular Stories

  • New ad features DeSantis plan for southern border

    New ad features DeSantis plan for southern border

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Feenstra: Combating President Biden’s electric vehicle mandates

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Iowa Schools Now Required to Lead Students in Pledge of Allegiance

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reynolds, Governors demand ‘honest, accurate’ information about relocated illegal immigrants.

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Schmitt: Strong Women Leaders Work For Iowa. They Can Work For America Too.

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

The Iowa Torch

The Iowa Torch​ is a for-profit, news organization that focuses on political news as it relates to Iowans

Categories

  • Education
  • Federal Government
  • Iowa History
  • Local Government
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • State Government
  • Uncategorized
  • Uncategorized

Newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.