Rep. Ogles to Newsmax: Europe's Migrant Crime Data a Warning for US
Tennessee Representative Pushes Immigration Bills That Could Strip Citizenship and Revise Visa Rules
WASHINGTON — Republican Representative Andy Ogles, who serves Nashville and its surrounding counties, used a Sunday evening appearance on the cable news channel Newsmax to explain two pieces of immigration legislation he has advanced in Congress. The proposals, the Remigration Act and the Assimilation Act, would allow the federal government to revoke naturalized citizenship for certain crimes, require a review of asylum and refugee approvals issued during the Biden administration, and overhaul the U.S. visa system, according to Ogles.
The Remigration Act would strip citizenship from naturalized Americans who are convicted of aggravated felonies, benefits fraud, serious federal offenses or who provide material support to terrorist organizations. It would also direct the Department of Homeland Security to scrutinize asylum, refugee and status‑adjustment approvals granted since 2021.
The Assimilation Act, co‑sponsored by Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, proposes sweeping changes to the 1965 Hart‑Celler immigration law. Among its provisions are the elimination of the Diversity Visa lottery and chain migration, a prohibition on birthright citizenship, an overhaul of the H‑1B work‑visa program, and a requirement that immigrants obtain citizenship after a 10‑year period in the United States.
Ogles said the bills are designed to “make sure that citizenship means something.” He explained the legislation on Newsmax’s “Bianca Across the Nation” segment, saying the United States could learn from what he called “the mistakes of Europe.”
Crime and immigration, Ogles says
“The U.S. has the benefit of learning from Europe and their mistakes,” Ogles told the program. He cited the United Kingdom and Germany as examples, noting that migrants comprise 10 to 12 percent of London’s population but, according to him, account for 50 percent of sex crimes in the city. “You can look at countries like the U.K. and Germany for that matter, where they’ve had mass immigration… and what it’s done to crime rates,” he said.
Ogles warned that American cities could face similar problems if the country does not “decide who comes in and who has to leave.” He emphasized that “coming here is a privilege, not a right,” adding that “the U.S. needs to set the terms of the invitation to come into this country.”
The other side of the debate
The immigration researcher community and several European officials have disputed the claim that migration broadly fuels crime. They point out that crime statistics vary widely in how offenses are classified, reported and prosecuted across jurisdictions, making it difficult to draw direct correlations between immigration and criminality.
“Crime rates can be influenced by many factors beyond migration, and data collection methods differ significantly,” said one researcher, who requested anonymity to avoid being quoted on a program with a partisan focus. “It’s risky to use such statistics to shape national policy.”
Why the bills matter
If enacted, the Remigration Act would represent a rare step in Congress toward revoking citizenship, a power the U.S. Constitution only permits in specific circumstances such as treason. The Assimilation Act would fundamentally alter the country’s long‑standing approach to immigration, shifting from a diversity‑focused model to a more restrictive, “assimilation‑first” framework.
Representative Ogles has said that the bills are aimed at protecting American cities such as New York, Chicago and Nashville from the “problem” he believes mass immigration creates. He framed the conversation as a necessary “honest conversation” about the future of American citizenship and the country’s safety.
The proposals face opposition from immigration advocates, civil liberties groups and some lawmakers who argue that such measures could harm the United States’ global reputation, complicate international relations and undermine the nation’s tradition of welcoming immigrants.
The Remigration Act and the Assimilation Act remain in committee. Their fate will depend on congressional votes in the coming months, and whether lawmakers and voters accept the notion that the U.S. should treat citizenship as a privilege that can be revoked.
