Opposition to H.R. Preventing Violence Against Women By Illegal Aliens Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, last week, I voted no on H.R. 30, the so-called ``Preventing Violence Against Women By Illegal Aliens Act.''

Let me be clear: none of us are interested in protecting domestic abusers or predators. We all want to keep our communities safe from those who seek to inflict harm on vulnerable people.

H.R. 30 does nothing to strengthen existing law and risks putting survivors at greater risk.

In reality, this bill is more about House Republican messaging than providing meaningful solutions to keep our communities safe. Current law already ensures that perpetrators of these heinous crimes can be swiftly deported if they are here illegally and bars them from reentering the United States.

Worse, it makes it easier to deport survivors who have acted in self- defense or who have been falsely accused by their abusers. The violent predators who commit these crimes know how to use the law to further victimize their targets.

I have heard horrific stories from law enforcement about women who are threatened with deportation if they report rape or torture, with their children being held hostage as leverage. An immigrant here legally on a student visa who fights back against her abusive boyfriend, or a hardworking mother lawfully present on a work visa who defends herself and her children against a violent partner, could face deportation if their abuser reports them ahead of their testimony. Predators will lie. Victims need protection. H.R. 30 hands criminals the ultimate tool of coercion to silence survivors--fear of deportation.

Some simple, common-sense proposals could have strengthened the bill, including offering greater protections to victims or providing law enforcement with additional tools to prosecute offenders. Unfortunately, these were not included.

If my colleagues across the aisle truly wanted to protect women, this bill would expand funding for victim services and ensure survivors could testify without the threat of deportation. It also would have given law enforcement more resources to get violent criminals out of our communities and out of country. But they didn't do that because this bill is not about keeping women safe. It is instead a performative political stunt to further an anti-immigrant agenda.

And let's not forget that 172 House Republicans, including this bill's sponsor, previously voted no on legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which included expansions of aid and services to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. VAWA had been strongly bipartisan because it meaningfully protected vulnerable women.

We must do everything in our power to protect survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. We owe survivors real solutions--not fear, not cruelty, and not empty posturing. For these reasons, I voted NO.

I remain committed to working with my colleagues to pass legislation that will genuinely protect survivors, hold abusers accountable and make our communities safer for everyone.

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