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Congressman Troy E. Nehls and Senator Ted Cruz have reintroduced the Justice for Jocelyn Act, a legislative proposal aimed at enhancing the detention and tracking of illegal immigrants in the United States. The act is named after Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl from Houston, Texas, who was murdered by two Venezuelan illegal aliens.
Congressman Nehls stated, “The Venezuelan illegal aliens who murdered 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray should have never been released into our country.” He expressed his commitment to ensuring such tragedies do not recur by pushing for swift passage of the legislation.
Senator Cruz also emphasized the need for urgent action. "Last year, I began the fight for justice for 12-year-old Jocelyn," he said. He criticized current border policies and stressed that Congress must act promptly to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Justice for Jocelyn Act proposes measures such as requiring every Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention bed to be filled. If necessary, it would mandate that DHS Secretary exhaust all efforts to keep an alien in custody or place them under GPS monitoring throughout their immigration proceedings. Additionally, it calls for mandatory removal orders by immigration judges if an alien violates a release order.
The bill has garnered support from other lawmakers including Congressman Wesley Hunt and Congressman Andy Biggs. In the Senate, Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Marsha Blackburn, Steve Daines, Roger Wicker, Tedd Budd, and Bill Cassidy have joined Senator Cruz in backing the legislation.
Initially introduced in July 2024 by Congressman Nehls and Senator Cruz following Jocelyn's murder on June 17 of that year, this act seeks to address issues related to DHS’s Alternative to Detention program which allowed her assailants' release despite available ICE detention beds.