DAVIS INTRODUCES BILL AIMED AT PREVENTING POTENTIAL SEX CRIMES July 13, 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Representatives Lincoln Davis and Mark Kennedy (R-MN) have introduced the Sex Offender Visa Loophole Elimination Act to prevent convicted sex offenders from filing family-based visa petitions to bring spouses, fiancés, and children to the United States.

"This bill directly addresses a dire safety concern to protect those who most often have little or no chance of stopping physical abuse," said Davis. "Rep. Kennedy and I have teamed up so we can prevent any potential abuse from taking place."

According to a recent GAO study, U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents filed about 730,000 petitions with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to sponsor non-citizen family members as beneficiaries to immigrate to the United States in 2005. The study found 398 convicted sex offenders filed 420 petitions, including 60 for minor children.

"It sickens me to know convicted sex offenders, known for raping, incest, kidnapping, and photographic exploitation of a child, can petition our government to bring unknowing potential victims into the country."

The USCIS lacks the authority to reject the petitions outright based on a petitioner’s criminal sexual history. Just under half of the four hundred-twenty petitions were approved, half are still pending, and only three percent were denied. The legislation, H.R. 5767, introduced by Davis and Kennedy would give USCIS the power it needs to reject the petitions outright and prevent unknowing individuals from potentially falling victim to these dangerous criminals.

"This shocking loophole has put hundreds if not thousands of women and children at risk, and it needs to be closed before more slip through."