FIRST ON FOX: A House lawmaker is raising concerns about the possibility of people who are in the country illegally being able to purchase firearms through the same process a U.S. citizen would use.
Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., is unveiling a new bill called the “No Guns for Illegal Aliens Act,” which would explicitly ban illegal immigrants from buying firearms using government-issued IDs.
He also expressed support for former President Trump’s controversial mass deportations plan, which would likely be the largest such move in U.S. history, while criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
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“Border Czar Kamala Harris has allowed criminal illegal aliens to enter our country and roam our streets. Meanwhile, radical liberals like Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are offering driver’s licenses to illegals – creating a recipe for disaster,” Clyde told Fox News Digital.
“As we await President Trump’s historic mass deportation effort, we must ensure illegal aliens with government-issued IDs cannot obtain firearms and wreak havoc on our communities.”
It’s the latest move in a wider push by House Republicans to direct attention to crime perpetuated in the U.S. by illegal immigrants after several high-profile incidents in the last few years, including the killings of Rachel Morin, Laken Riley, and 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray.
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The three high-profile killings did not involve a gun, but Clyde argued that progressive policies allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses could open the door to more crime.
Clyde, a gun store owner, has had his own firearms license for over 30 years, according to his office.
As of now, 19 states plus Washington, D.C., offer driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has also recently developed a pilot program to distribute federal IDs called “Secure Docket Cards” to people who cross the border illegally and are awaiting immigration proceedings. It’s not immediately clear if these IDs can be used to purchase guns, however.
The rate of crimes committed by illegal immigrants is lower than that of U.S. citizens, according to a study by the National Institute of Justice.
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But Republicans argue that the act of entering the U.S. illegally is a crime in itself, and that instances of violent crime by such groups could be prevented just by having tougher border and immigration laws.
The Minnesota Governor’s Office directed Fox News Digital to the Harris-Walz campaign when reached for comment, but it did not immediately respond.
Fox News Digital also reached out to the Office of the Vice President for comment.