On Tuesday, Congressman Juan Ciscomani celebrated the House passage of his bill aimed at cracking down on individuals who engage in high-speed car chases with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or law enforcement assisting CBP.
Under Ciscomani’s Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act (H.R. 5585), failure to yield would be a federal crime and if anyone is killed during the apprehension, individuals could face life sentences. The effort is named after Raul Gonzalez, a Border Patrol agent killed in a high-speed chase in 2022 while pursuing a group of illegal immigrants in Texas.
H.R. 5585 passed the House with bipartisan support by a vote of 271-154. Fifty-six Democrats backed the measure.
“Every day, high-speed chases initiated by smugglers jeopardize the safety of Arizonans,” said Ciscomani. “For far too long, cartels and smugglers have not faced serious enough consequences when they blatantly endanger our communities. This bill signals to bad actors that we will pursue any action that threatens American lives to the fullest extent of our law. I’m thrilled that my House colleagues understand the necessity of this legislation, bringing it one step closer to being signed into law.”
H.R. 5585 is supported by the National Border Patrol Council, Heritage Action, National Sheriffs’ Association, Western States Sheriffs’ Association, Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, Cochise County Attorney’s Office, Bisbee Police Department, Benson Police Department, and Sierra Vista Police Department.
“On behalf of rank-and-file Border Patrol agents nationwide, the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) is proud to support H.R. 5585, the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, as well as H.R. 6976, the Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act,” said Hector Garza, Vice President of the National Border Patrol Council. “We appreciate House Republicans efforts’ to secure our lawless and chaotic border, protect the men and women on the frontlines, and make our communities safer. We also want to recognize and honor the life and service of Agent Gonzalez, who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country – may he and his legacy never be forgotten.”