United States Capitol Building
The U.S. House passed a bill Thursday that makes it a federal crime for a driver to flee a Border Patrol officer or local police who are assisting the Border Patrol.
Southern Arizona Representative Juan Ciscomani is the main sponsor of the bill which applies within 100 miles from the border. He told the House floor that high-speed chases are dangerous…
"It is not only law enforcement that is suffering and actually being risked in this kind of activity it is also innocent bystanders that are hurt by these high-speed chases," Ciscomani said.
Ciscomani said many of the drivers fleeing law enforcement are U-S citizens who were recruited by cartels to help smuggle people and drugs across the border.
The House passed the bill on a 264-155 vote. The proposal, which had bipartisan support in the House, has a companion bill, sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz is moving through the upper chamber.
By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.