Representative Derek Tran Releases Statement on H.R. 4371

Washington, DC - U.S. Representative Derek Tran (CA-45) issued the following statement regarding his vote against H.R. 4371, the Kayla Hamilton Act:

"What happened to Kayla Hamilton was horrific, and my heart is with her loved ones, still reeling from her devastating death. Her family and loved ones deserve closure and justice for the horrible tragedy they've had to endure," said Representative Tran. "While I strongly believe that anyone who commits violent crimes deserves to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, this bill falls drastically short of this goal and will instead have a harmful impact on the reunification of vulnerable children with their families, especially those who seek asylum because they have fled violent conditions. Our immigration laws should not only seek to prevent violent criminals from crossing our borders, but they should also reflect our fundamental humanitarian values to treat families with dignity. There is no doubt that our immigration system is broken, and American families deserve no less than a thoughtful approach to how we begin to fix it. That is why I will continue to work with colleagues across the aisle to pass commonsense and comprehensive immigration reform that keeps every family safe."

H.R. 4371 was introduced in response to the rape and murder of 19-year-old Kayla Hamilton by a 16-year-old Salvadoran national who entered the United States as an unaccompanied alien child (UAC). The Kayla Hamilton Act would:

• Require that children over the age of 12 be examined for gang tattoos and criminal affiliation, potentially targeting those fleeing gang indoctrination in their country of origin;

• Eliminate lawful asylum seekers and H-1B visa holders as sponsors for UACs, keeping children whose parents have sought asylum separated from their families or keep children in HHS custody if they do not have a sponsor who is a U.S. citizen or green card holder; and

• Require HHS to report to DHS the immigration status of every person who lives in an unaccompanied child's sponsor's house, devoting law enforcement's resources to tracking law-abiding families instead of holding violent criminals accountable.

Representative Tran is committed to common-sense, bipartisan immigration reform. Tran voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act, which holds violent criminals accountable for assaulting law enforcement officers. On June 12, 2025, Representative Tran, alongside Representatives Gil Cisneros (CA-31) and George Whitesides (CA-27), sent a letterto U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding answers regarding the deployment of armed forces to Los Angeles. During a recent House Armed Services Committee hearing, Tran pressed Secretary Hegsethon the militarized response to domestic protests and lack of coordination with state and local law enforcement to keep community members safe. Tran is also a cosponsor of H.R. 3172, the ICE Visibility Act, and H.R. 4176, the No Secret Police Act, which both aim to increase transparency by restricting the use of face coverings and requiring officers to display clear identification of their agency when conducting immigration enforcement operations.

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Congressman Derek Tran represents California's 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.