By Andrew Rice
The Center Square

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on that would create harsher penalties for immigrants who enter the United States multiple times without permission or documents.

The “Stop Illegal Entry Act of 2025” requires immigrants who enter the country illegally and are convicted of a felony to face a minimum five year prison sentence and a maximum life sentence.

Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., who introduced the legislation in May, celebrated the bill’s passage on Thursday.

“We must deter future illegal immigration and give our law enforcement and border patrol officers the tools they need to hold dangerous criminals accountable,” Bice said.

The bill passed the House by a vote of 226 to 197 with 11 Democrats joining Republicans to move the legislation forward. Reps. Don Davis, D-N.C., and Lauren Gillen, D-N.Y. were among the Democrats to vote for the bill.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., highlighted the bill’s House passage as another step in the Trump administration’s immigration policy agenda.

“By targeting repeat offenders and imposing harsh penalties on violent felons who re-enter after deportation, this bill defends the rule of law and sends an unmistakable message: if you break our laws, there will be severe consequences,” Johnson said.

Mike Zamore, national director of policy and government affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union, criticized the bill’s passage in a statement.

“This legislation would hand the Trump administration more tools to criminalize immigrants and terrorize communities at the same time they are deploying federal agents and the military to our streets,” Zamore said.

Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., said he voted against the bill because it would cause taxpayers to shoulder the expenses of the lengthy prison sentences it allows.

“I voted against the bill because, among many concerns, it does not include protections for DACA recipients, ignores prosecutorial discretion, and will cost taxpayers exorbitant amounts of money,” Levin said.

The bill will now move the Senate for further consideration.