House Passes Bipartisan 'Laken Riley Act' To Detain Criminal Illegal Immigrants

The House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act in a 264-159 vote on Tuesday, with 48 Democrats joining 216 Republicans to make it the first act of the new Congress.

The bill, named after a 22-year-old nursing student murdered last February by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant in Georgia, requires federal immigration authorities to detain illegal immigrants who commit theft or related crimes until they are removed from the United States. It also allows states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm to citizens caused by illegal immigration.

The act first passed in the House last March with a bipartisan vote of 251-170 but was blocked by the then-Democrat-controlled Senate. With a new Republican majority, the Senate is set to vote on the bill again later this week. Sponsors of the Senate version include the entire Republican Senate Conference as well as Democratic senator John Fetterman (Pa.).

"Laken Riley's story is a tragic reminder of what's at stake when our systems fail to protect people," Fetterman said in a statement. "I support giving authorities the tools to prevent tragedies like this one while we work on comprehensive solutions to our broken system."

Seven Democrats switched their votes to support the bill this time, NOTUS's Katherine Swartz reported.

Riley's murder sparked widespread political controversy for the Biden administration, which oversaw the highest border surge in U.S. history.

Sen. Katie Britt (R., Ala.), one of the bill's main sponsors, described Riley's death as "the direct consequence of willful open border policies" from the administration.

Jose Ibarra, who has been sentenced to life in prison for Riley's murder, entered the United States illegally through El Paso in September 2022 and was released via parole just a day after being taken into custody. Months later, he murdered Riley.

"The American people did not just deliver a mandate on November 5th, they delivered a verdict," Britt said. "They made it clear they want to remove criminal illegal aliens and protect American families."

House Republicans have introduced several other border-security bills, including proposals to cut federal funding for sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration enforcement, allocate resources to resume border wall construction, and relocate the Customs and Border Protection headquarters closer to the southern border.

The Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility Act would require individuals to prove their citizenship when registering to vote, while the Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act would mandate the deportation of migrants convicted of sex-related crimes.

"House Republicans won't stop fighting to secure the border and protect American communities," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R., La.) said. "When will Democrats finally decide enough is enough?"

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