Tuberville, Cornyn Lead Senate Push to Enshrine Death Penalty for Illegal Immigrants Who Kill Americans
Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act would make federal death penalty possible in all 50 States
U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and John Cornyn (R-TX) have introduced new legislation aimed at imposing the death penalty on illegal immigrants convicted of murdering American citizens. The proposed bill, titled the Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act, would codify and expand upon a recent Executive Order (EO) signed by former President Donald Trump in January 2025.
The bill would add illegal status as an aggravating factor in federal murder cases. In conjunction with the EO encouraging the Attorney General to seek federal jurisdiction and the death penalty in these cases, it would extend the death penalty nationwide.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, May 8, Tuberville emphasized what he described as the consequences of lax border enforcement under President Joe Biden.
“Over the past four years, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris welcomed more than 10 million illegal immigrants into this country with open arms,” Tuberville said. “As a direct result, innocent Americans like Laken Riley and Rachel Morin have lost their lives. It’s simple: if you’re in this country illegally and you murder an American citizen, you should face the death penalty.”
Sen. Cornyn echoed that sentiment, asserting the bill is designed to prevent future administrations from reversing the policy.
“Violent predators who enter our country illegally and brutally murder American citizens should be subject to the death penalty as a consequence of their heinous actions,” Cornyn said. “By enshrining President Trump’s Executive Order into law, this legislation would protect the American people, make our country safe again, and ensure no future President can singlehandedly undo this consequence for taking innocent lives.”
The bill is co-sponsored by several other Senate Republicans, including Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT), Tim Scott (R-SC), Jim Risch (R-ID), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Justice (R-WV), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Jim Banks (R-IN).
This policy shift comes amid growing Republican criticism of the Biden administration’s border and immigration policies. The senators cited several high-profile murder cases allegedly involving illegal immigrants to underscore the urgency of the proposed law. These include:
- Rachel Morin, 37, murdered in Maryland in August 2023.
- Lizbeth Medina, 16, stabbed in Texas in December 2023.
- Laken Riley, 22, killed while jogging in Georgia in February 2024.
- Ruby Garcia, 25, shot and left on a Michigan roadside in March 2024.
- Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, kidnapped and strangled in Houston in June 2024.
- George Levin, 63, beaten to death in Chicago in January 2025.
- Camillia Williams, 52, choked and dumped in Georgia in March 2025.
The proposed law is likely to face strong opposition from Democrats and civil liberties groups, who argue that the death penalty is not an effective deterrent and raises serious ethical and legal concerns—especially in the context of immigration enforcement.
The full text of the bill is HERE. Sen. Tuberville’s remarks are HERE, and the full press conference may be viewed HERE.
