[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 1809]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      IN MEMORY OF GRANT RONNEBECK

  (Mr. BIGGS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of a young man who 
would have been my constituent.
  Two years ago last week, 21-year-old Grant Ronnebeck was manning the 
counter at a Mesa, Arizona convenience store. An illegal alien walked 
into the store and shot Grant in the head, killing him, over a pack of 
cigarettes that the man did not want to pay for.
  The illegal immigrant, Apolinar Altamirano, had been out on bond 
awaiting deportation due to a violent criminal history. Grant had his 
whole life ahead of him, but lost it because of the failure of his 
government to protect him from criminally violent, illegal immigrants.
  I have introduced H.R. 486, otherwise known as Grant's Law. This bill 
would end the practice of releasing illegal aliens guilty of deportable 
crimes so they are no longer a danger to innocent American citizens.
  I was emboldened last week when President Donald Trump invited 
Grant's father, Steve, to the White House to witness the signing of an 
executive order administratively ending this dangerous policy. I am 
thankful for a President that protects Americans and seeks the rule of 
law. However, if Congress fails to pass H.R. 486, this policy remains a 
temporary Presidential order and does not carry the permanent force of 
law.
  We must make sure that Grant's fate never again happens to any young 
man or woman. We must pass Grant's Law.

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