# Kate's Law: Plain Language Summary

Kate's Law is designed to increase criminal penalties for people who are deported from the United States and then illegally return. The bill is named after Kate Steinle, a woman killed in 2015 by someone who had been deported multiple times and returned to the country illegally. Specifically, the law makes it a felony (a serious crime) for someone to re-enter the country after being deported, with mandatory minimum prison sentences. Currently, illegal re-entry is a crime, but Kate's Law increases the punishment significantly—particularly for people with prior criminal convictions or multiple deportations.

The bill also increases penalties for people who fail to leave the country after receiving a deportation order. Additionally, it requires the federal government to track and report on people who have been deported and later return illegally, and it provides funding for enforcement efforts. The law applies to anyone attempting to re-enter the U.S. illegally after deportation, regardless of their immigration status or background.

This law primarily affects immigration enforcement and the criminal justice system. It means that people deported from the U.S. who try to return will face more serious criminal charges and longer prison sentences than they would have before. Immigration advocates have raised concerns that the law could lead to harsher outcomes even for people with minor prior offenses or family ties in the U.S., while supporters argue it deters repeat illegal border crossings and protects public safety.

Kate's Law

Cruz, Ted

Stop Illegal Reentry Act or Kate's Law This bill increases criminal penalties for certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who illegally reenter the United States after removal or exclusion. Generally, an individual who had been denied entry into or removed from the United States and who later enters or attempts to enter the United States without prior approval from the Department of Homeland Security shall be fined, imprisoned for up to five years, or both. Current law requires a fine, imprisonment for up to two years, or both, for such an individual. An individual who had been denied entry or removed three or more times and who later enters or attempts to enter the United States shall be fined, imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both. An individual who was convicted of an aggravated felony or convicted at least two times before removal or departure and who subsequently enters or tries to enter the United States shall be imprisoned at least five years and for up to twenty years, and may also be fined. Currently, there is no minimum term of imprisonment for an individual who reenters after a conviction for an aggravated felony, and there are no criminal penalties for a reentering individual who had been convicted at least two times (other than the penalties for illegal reentry generally).