The Laken Riley Act moves to the Senate.
Photo: Twitter
of Laken Riley methodthe first policy bill of the 119th Congress, passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The bill, named after 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, who was killed by an illegal Venezuelan immigrant, passed by a vote of 264-159.
Main provisions of the law
The law requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain illegal immigrants suspected of crimes such as theft. It would also authorize states to seek damages for harm allegedly caused by illegal immigration and give state attorneys general the power to sue the federal government for failing to enforce domestic immigration regulations.
The bill was reintroduced by Republican Representative Mike Collins of Georgia, who argued that the Biden administration’s border policies were a contributing factor to Riley’s death. The bill was passed amid intense debate over public safety and immigration.
Bipartisan voting breakdown
159 Democrats voted against the bill, while 48 voted for it. These Democrats are facing criticism from Republicans who say they are ignoring voters’ demands for stricter border security. “House Republicans listened to the voices of those calling for change and voted to pass the Laken-Reilly Act,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson. This is just the beginning of the Republican effort to undo the damage.”
