Since President Donald Trump took office in January, illegal crossings along the U.S.–Mexico border dropped to historic lows. Under the Biden administration, illegal border crossings hit record highs, with more than 10 million encounters, most along the southwest border. The Department of Homeland Security estimates as many as one in five of those were repeat offenders.

“What’s happening is that people have committed a crime, maybe a low-level felony, they are being deported, and then they’re coming back,” said Rep. Stephanie Bice.

Bice says her “Stop Illegal Entry Act,” which passed the House with bipartisan support last week, would help curb repeat border crossings. The bill strengthens the Justice Department’s ability to prosecute offenders and increases penalties:

1. A minimum of five years in prison for any undocumented person convicted of a felony.
2. Up to 10 years for any illegal re-entry, regardless of criminal history.
3. Ten years to life for illegal re-entry after a felony conviction and deportation.

“We want people to know if they’re going to come back and you’ve been convicted of a crime, we’re going to hold you accountable,” Bice said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the legislation, saying it “defends the rule of law and sends an unmistakable message: if you break our laws, there will be severe consequences.”

The measure was first introduced a decade ago by Sen. Ted Cruz after a San Francisco woman was killed by an undocumented man with multiple felony convictions who had been deported five times.

The bill now heads to the Senate.