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Jayapal slams Deporting Fraudsters Act as assault on due process
She warned that the bill allows deportation without conviction, undermining due process.
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Anushka Pathak - Thu, 19, Mar 2026
- 12:35 EDT
- 20
Pramila Jayapal / X (Pramila Jayapal)
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal opposed the Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026, warning it weakens due process protections and expands deportation powers against legal immigrants.
The resolution, which passed the House of Representatives on March 19, amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to expand grounds for inadmissibility and deportation tied to fraud-related offenses.
“I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 1958,” Jayapal said while speaking on the House floor ahead of the vote, arguing the legislation is designed to make it easier to deport individuals without the requirement of a criminal conviction.
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Under H.R. 1958, a green card holder could be deported without being convicted of any crime.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) March 18, 2026
In typical Republican fashion, this bill will not make any of us safer, it will just strip away due process and make it easier to deport people with lawful status. pic.twitter.com/Lw5nIhIw2L
She said the bill does not address any real gap in the law, noting that the fraud cases were already under investigation by the Department of Justice in 2022, adding that “this was never about fraud.”
Jayapal repeatedly stressed that current immigration law requires a conviction for deportability in most cases, particularly for crimes involving moral turpitude or aggravated felonies. She emphasized that “the key word here is conviction,” warning the bill removes that threshold.
“This bill is really about stripping due process and making it easier to deport immigrants with lawful status, like green card holders,” she said.
She also warned that long-term residents could face removal without being convicted of a crime. “Under this bill, a green card holder who has been in this country for decades could be deported without a conviction,” she said, arguing the change would lower the legal standard compared to serious crimes that typically require convictions.
Jayapal also questioned the broader intent of the bill, suggesting it shifts focus away from economic issues and expands enforcement authority. She described it as part of a recurring legislative pattern and said it represents “an attack on immigration and due process.”
The Democrat concluded by urging lawmakers to reject the measure, saying, “I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill,” as the legislation advanced to the Senate for further consideration.
The Deporting Fraudsters Act, sponsored by David Taylor, passed the House 231-186 largely along party lines and now moves to the Senate. Introduced in March 2025, the bill was advanced by the House Judiciary Committee in Jan. 2026.
The legislation includes violations involving public benefits, Social Security fraud, identity document fraud, major fraud against the United States, and conspiracy to commit such offenses.
Under the bill, noncitizens can be deemed deportable not only upon conviction but also if they admit to committing acts linked to these offenses and may be barred from immigration relief, including protections under the Convention Against Torture.
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