House passes bill to increase penalties for illegal re-entry to U.S.
The House passed legislation Thursday that would create harsher prison sentences for immigrants who repeatedly enter the United States without permission or documentation.
By: Laura Acevedo
Posted 8:57 PM, Sep 11, 2025
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The House passed legislation Thursday that would create harsher prison sentences for immigrants who repeatedly enter the United States without permission or documentation, advancing the measure to the Senate with some bipartisan support.
The "Stop Illegal Entry Act of 2025" passed by a vote of 226 to 197, with 11 Democrats joining Republicans to support the legislation. The bill would establish a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence and allow for life sentences in certain cases.
Under the proposed law, individuals who enter the country illegally or attempt to do so and are then convicted of a felony would face a minimum five-year prison term and a maximum of a life sentence, depending on the crime. The legislation also increases the maximum prison term for repeated illegal re-entry from two years to five years.
Pedro Rios, an immigrants' rights advocate, criticized the measure as ineffective and costly.
https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/house-passes-bill-to-increase-penalties-for-illegal-re-entry-to-u-s
