Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is requesting the death penalty for two alleged human smugglers from Mexico.
“Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, alien smuggling acts that result in death are capital crimes punishable by death,” Noem explained in a statement Tuesday evening. “And under the Federal Death Penalty Act, those who intentionally participate in conduct knowing that it could result in the loss of life may be eligible for capital punishment,” she added.
A small boat that was originally carrying 16 people capsized off the coast of San Diego on Monday, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The U.S. Coast Guard recovered three deceased Indian nationals. Another seven people are missing. Two of the survivors are Mexican nationals who have been detained on charges of alien smuggling.
Related: Texas Officers Apprehend Smugglers, Find Teens Stuffed In Trunk In 100 Degree Weather
DHS will ask the Department of Justice to seek the death penalty for both alleged human smugglers because DHS “will not tolerate this level of criminal depravity or reckless disregard for human life,” Noem said.
“This tragedy is a stark reminder of the inhumanity and lethal danger inherent to human smuggling at sea,” Noem said. “Their deaths were not only avoidable but were also the direct result of the greed and indifference of smugglers who exploited them. Maritime smuggling is not just illegal—it is a violent and inherently dangerous crime. Those who knowingly place human lives at grave risk in furtherance of such crimes must be held fully accountable.”
Since assuming the role as DHS secretary, Noem has acted aggressively to discourage illegal immigration through a national and international ad campaign warning of the risk of arrest and removal for anyone in the country illegally. The secretary has also traveled to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center and, standing in front of deported criminal illegal aliens, warned that the prison is “one of the tools in our tool kit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people.”
Related: Deputies Apprehend Human Smugglers In Border Town, Rescue 5-Year-Old Stashed In Trunk
Since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, daily border encounters have fallen by 95%, according to DHS, and over 150,000 illegal aliens have been deported. In an attempt to encourage illegal aliens to self-deport, DHS has launched the CBP Home app to help illegal aliens return home (CBP stands for U.S. Customs and Border Protection). Any migrant who does self-deport is now eligible for a $1,000 stipend from the U.S. government after they prove they have returned home.
Syndicated with permission from The Daily Signal.