U.S. Senators Katie Britt, John Cornyn, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Vet Unaccompanied Alien Children, Prevent Placement of UACs with Criminal Sponsors

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) introduced the Kayla Hamilton Act, which would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct thorough background and criminal record checks on unaccompanied alien children (UACs) and potential sponsors prior to their placement.

"Kayla's story is another heartbreaking reminder of the chaos and danger brought into our country by the Biden Administration's open-border policies," said Senator Britt. "The Kayla Hamilton Act establishes common-sense guardrails, such as requiring the collection of records related to criminal behavior and potential gang activity for unaccompanied alien children, so we can do everything possible to prevent future tragedies like Kayla's murder."

This legislation is named in honor of Kayla Hamilton, a young woman who was sexually assaulted and brutally murdered by a 17-year-old MS-13 gang member and UAC who illegally entered the country through the southern border and was released by the Biden administration to a sponsor.

"For four disastrous years, the Biden administration skirted our nation's immigration laws, leading to Kayla Hamilton's life being cut tragically short by an MS-13 gang member who should have never been released into the United States," said Sen. Cornyn. "My legislation, which would require the federal government to conduct thorough background and criminal record checks on unaccompanied alien children and potential sponsors prior to their placement, is named in Kayla's memory and that of the many other victims of heinous crimes committed by illegal aliens."

"All that the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Health and Human Services had to do was make one phone call to El Salvador, and they would have known that my daughter's murderer was an MS-13 gang member, and he had a criminal record of illicit gang activity," said "Angel Mom" Tammy Nobles. "To prevent such tragedies from happening again, the Kayla Hamilton Act will mandate background checks on unaccompanied minors and the sponsors, so that no person will be at risk. No one else should ever again have to suffer the way my daughter Kayla did. The Biden-Harris Administration's policies prioritized the comfort of illegal aliens, like Kayla's murderer, over the safety of innocent Americans. The Kayla Hamilton Act is necessary to ensure background checks of unaccompanied alien children occur before they are released. If that had happened in the case of Kayla's murderer, authorities would have known he was an MS-13 gang member. The House of Representatives has considered this legislation in a markup, and it is beyond time for the Senate do the same."

Senator Britt has been a staunch advocate for holding criminal illegal aliens accountable in the United States. She spearheaded the Laken Riley Act, which requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting offenses, assault of a law enforcement officer, or any crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury, so they cannot reoffend and commit further crimes. It also ensures states have standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who refuse to enforce immigration law or who violate the law. The legislation was signed into law by President Trump.

Senator Britt has long voiced disapproval of the Biden-Harris administration's handling of UAC and has advocated for reforms to protect children from potential abuses and exploitation. She previously supported a Congressional Review Act resolution that would overturn a Biden-era rule that perpetuated the endangerment of unaccompanied migrant children. Senator Britt also signed a letter urging the Biden-Harris administration to prevent UAC from being placed into the hands of unvetted sponsors who often abuse and exploit them.

You can read the full text of the bill here.

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