Federal

No Coyote Cash Act

Source: Congress.gov · 501 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill makes it a federal crime to send money or valuable items across state lines to pay for someone's illegal entry into the United States. The bill also makes people who commit this crime unable to enter the country legally and subject to removal if they are already here. ##

Who It Affects

People who finance illegal border crossings, people seeking to enter the country illegally, and immigration enforcement officials. ##

Key Provisions

- Anyone who sends money, property or items of value across state lines to pay for illegal entry violations faces a fine equal to the amount sent, up to one year in prison, or both (Sec. 2(a)) - A foreign national convicted of, or who admits committing, financing unlawful entry cannot be admitted into the United States (Sec. 2(b)) - A foreign national convicted of, or who admits committing, financing unlawful entry is subject to removal (deportation) from the United States (Sec. 2(c)) ##

What Changes

Current federal law did not specifically criminalize financing illegal entry. This bill adds that crime and makes it grounds for keeping people out of the country and removing them if they are already here. ##

Important Definitions

None defined in bill text. ##

II 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 381 To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to include a criminal penalty and a ground of removability for financing the unlawful entry of an alien into the United States. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 9, 2023 Mr. RUBIO (for himself, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. BRAUN, Ms. LUMMIS, Mr. CRUZ, Mrs. BRITT, and Mr. WICKER) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to include a criminal penalty and a ground of removability for financing the unlawful entry of an alien into the United States. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘No Coyote Cash Act’’. 4 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:04 Feb 27, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S381.IS S381 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 381 IS SEC. 2. CRIMINAL PENALTY AND REMOVABILITY FOR FI- 1 NANCING UNLAWFUL ENTRY. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 8 of title II of the Immi- 3 gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1321 et seq.) is 4 amended by inserting after section 274D the following: 5 ‘‘SEC. 274E. FINANCING UNLAWFUL ENTRY. 6 ‘‘Any person who transmits money, property, or any 7 item of value through interstate commerce with the intent 8 to finance a violation of section 273, 274, 275, 276, or 9 277 shall be fined the value of the transmitted money, 10 property, or item of value, imprisoned not more than 1 11 year, or both.’’. 12 (b) INADMISSIBILITY.—Section 212(a)(2) of the Im- 13 migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)) is 14 amended by adding at the end the following: 15 ‘‘(J) FINANCING UNLAWFUL ENTRY.—Any 16 alien who has been convicted of, admits having 17 committed, or admits committing acts that con- 18 stitute the elements of an offense under section 19 274E is inadmissible.’’. 20 (c) DEPORTABILITY.—Section 237(a)(2) of the Im- 21 migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)) is 22 amended by adding at the end the following: 23 ‘‘(G) FINANCING UNLAWFUL ENTRY.—Any 24 alien who has been convicted of, admits having 25 committed, or admits committing acts that con- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:04 Feb 27, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S381.IS S381 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 381 IS stitute the elements of an offense under section 1 274E is deportable.’’. 2 (d) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con- 3 tents for the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 4 1101 et seq.) is amended by inserting after the item relat- 5 ing to section 274D the following: 6 ‘‘Sec. 274E. Financing unlawful entry.’’. Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:04 Feb 27, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S381.IS S381 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

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