A Texas congressman is introducing a new bill that would allow the federal government to pursue the death penalty for illegal immigrants found guilty of murder, even in states where capital punishment is outlawed.

Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, announced plans to introduce the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murder Act on Thursday. The legislation would create a new category of federal crimes focused specifically on individuals in the U.S. illegally who are convicted of first-degree murder.

The bill gives federal prosecutors the authority to seek life imprisonment or the death penalty in those cases, expanding federal jurisdiction to bypass state limitations on capital punishment.

“We can hold those individuals accountable at the federal level because they’re here illegally. And here we are with that legislation,” Luttrell said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

The proposal is partly inspired by a case in Texas in 2023 involving a man with a record of multiple deportations who was accused of murdering five people.

“That guy shouldn’t have been here as well. He had been deported a couple times, snuck back across the border, and now this happened. It’s time for us to step in and do this,” Luttrell said.

President Donald Trump also influenced the legislation. In January, Trump signed an executive order calling for the death penalty to be used in cases where illegal immigrants commit “all crimes of a severity demanding its use” and for anyone who murders a law enforcement officer.

“I do not run away from those conversations at all, because I think it’s necessary. That shows the American people that we’re working together on this. The American public voted for this administration because of the border,” Luttrell added.

Seven other House Republicans, including Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger, R-Texas, are co-sponsoring the bill.