Adds animal cruelty or fighting convictions (under federal or state law) as a new ground of inadmissibility and deportability for noncitizens, so more noncitizens become subject to removal.
Any alien who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts constituting the essential elements of-- (i) an offense under sections 48 or 49 of title 18, United States Code; or (ii) an offense under State, Tribal, or local law, an essential element of which is animal cruelty, animal abuse, or animal fighting, regardless of whether such offense is classified as a misdemeanor or felony under State, Tribal, or local law, is inadmissible.
✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text
Introduced (completed)
Committee
Passed one chamber
Passed both
President
Law
Stage: Committee · step 2 of 6
Last action
2026-02-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Why the model tagged it this way: The bill expands immigration enforcement by creating new criminal grounds (animal cruelty/fighting) that trigger inadmissibility and deportability for aliens, increasing the scope of removal for noncitizens convicted of such offenses.