Congressman Steve King: “From This Root, Justice Will Grow.”

By Congressman Steve King
Breitbart.com
June 29, 2017

For years, people have heard me say that “I want to rip Obamacare out by the roots as if such act had never been enacted.”

Well, today, the House of Representatives took a step towards placing a Root in the law. A Root named Sarah. By passing “Sarah’s Law,” a law I wrote in honor of Iowan Sarah Root, the House has enhanced the government’s ability to keep dangerous illegal aliens locked up and off of our streets.

And I am confident that from this Root, Justice will grow.

Sarah Root was a beautiful young woman and an exceptional student. She graduated from Bellevue University with a 4.0 GPA and a degree in Criminal Investigation. She had her entire life in front of her: a life that was to be dedicated to preserving the Rule of Law.

But all of that ended on the night of January 31, 2016, when an illegal alien killed her. Sarah had been celebrating her recent college graduation with friends. As she was driving home, her car was violently rear-ended by a drunken illegal alien involved in a street race. The illegal alien, who had a history of prior encounters with law enforcement, had a blood-alcohol content three times the legal limit.

The impact of the collision left Sarah unrecognizable. Her parents, Michelle and Scott, were only able to identify their daughter through her “Live, Laugh, Love” tattoo. Her organs were donated, and subsequently led to saving six people’s lives. I often wear a “Sarah Saved Six” bracelet to honor her memory.

Since that terrible January night, I have gotten to know Michelle and Scott Root and their only remaining child, Scott Jr. They are terrific people who, like so many other American families that are victims of illegal alien crime, have had to suffer a terrible, inconceivably painful loss. They are not just constituents to me. Over time they have become friends.

But they are also more than that. They are the embodiment of why I have spent 15 years in Congress championing the need for greater enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws. No American should have to wake up in the early morning hours, as Michelle and Scott Root did, to confront the loss of a loved one at the hands of an illegal alien. These crimes are 100% preventable. These crimes most assuredly are not “accidents,” and it is offensive for anyone to suggest they are. If Sarah Root’s killer had not been in the country illegally, or if he had been locked up behind bars until he could be deported, Sarah Root would be alive today.

. . .

Thankfully, the House of Representatives shares my long-held concerns and is beginning to act on them. The House passed three serious pieces of enforcement legislation this week, all of which bear my name. One bill will deny federal funds to sanctuary cities, a change I have been pushing for since 2005 when the House passed my amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations Act denying funds to cities enacting sanctuary policies. This bill will also allow illegal aliens convicted of drunk driving to be held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The second bill, named “Kate’s Law” in honor of Kate Steinle, will provide judges with the ability to increase the length of prison sentences for illegal aliens who re-enter the country illegally.

And, finally, there is “Sarah’s Law.” This legislation, which I first introduced on July 7, 2016, requires ICE to take custody of illegal aliens charged in the United States with a crime resulting in the death or serious bodily injury of another person.

If we had tougher immigration laws on the books, and we made enforcing them a priority, we would be discussing Sarah Root for her investigations of violations of the law, rather than discussing her as a potential provision in the law.

From this Root, Justice will grow. Congress should send my bills to President Trump for his signature.