The House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act this week, a bill that would require federal immigration authorities to detain illegal immigrants charged with local theft or burglary.
The act, which was passed by a 251-170 vote, is named after 22-year-old Laken Riley, a college nursing student who was recently killed on the campus of the University of Georgia.
“The senseless murder of Laken Riley by Jose Ibarra, who had no business being in this country, was another wake-up call as Americans experience an illegal alien crime wave because of Joe Biden’s open border and local sanctuary city policies,” Rep. Mike Collins, (R-GA), who introduced the bill said.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, the illegal immigrant from Venezuela charged with the brutal murder, was arrested in New York prior to the murder, but was not detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
During the vote, all Republicans in attendance voted yes, 170 Democrats voted no and 37 Democrats joined Republicans to advance the bill.
“Democrats don’t care about your safety!” the House Judiciary GOP posted on X shortly after the vote. “Will @chuckschumer allow a vote on the Laken Riley Act in the Senate? Would @JoeBiden veto it?”
In addition, the bill will also allow individual states to take action against the federal government “if an immigration related action harms the state or its citizens.”
“Allow states to sue the federal government for injunctive relief if an immigration related action (parole, violation of detention requirements, etc.), harms the state or its citizens. This gives states legal recourse to force the federal government to address certain failures related to border security,” a press release stated.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed frustration with his Democratic colleagues who voted against the legislation.
“170 House Democrats just voted against the Laken Riley Act, refusing to require the detention and deportation of illegal immigrants who have been caught committing a crime,” he wrote on X. “Sadly, if these Democrats have their way, there will be more victims like Laken Riley.”
