(The Center Square) – Nearly 15 million people living in or entering the country illegally are on an FBI list prohibiting purchase of firearms.
However, the National Instant Criminal Background Check system isn’t required to let immigration authorities know if one of those 14.8 million is an applicant and in America. Legislation is proposed to change it.
“It is already against the law for an illegal immigrant to purchase a firearm, and this legislation would notify the appropriate authorities when an illegal immigrant tries to break the law,” said U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who co-sponsored the bill.
Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton authored the legislation. He and Tillis are joined by Republican Sens. John Boozman of Arkansas, Joni Ernst of Iowa and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming introducing the Illegal Alien NICS Alert Act.
“Those who come into America illegally should be detained and deported,” Cotton said in a release. “They certainly shouldn’t be able to purchase a …