Houses Passes ‘Laken Riley Act’

The Laken Riley Act passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon, marking the first federal legislation approved by the 119th Congress. The bill, named after Laken Riley, a nursing student tragically killed by an illegal immigrant while jogging on the University of Georgia campus, aims to address crimes involving illegal immigrants.

The act requires federal immigration authorities to detain illegal immigrants convicted of theft-related crimes. Additionally, it grants states the ability to sue the Department of Homeland Security for damages caused to their residents by illegal immigration.

The bill passed with strong bipartisan support, receiving votes from all participating Republicans and 48 Democrats, for a total of 264 to 159. This reflects an increase in Democratic support compared to last year, when the bill garnered 37 Democratic votes. Several newly elected House Democrats, including Representatives Derek Tran (D-Calif.), John Mannion (D-N.Y.), and Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.), joined Republicans in voting for the measure, signaling a broader bipartisan agreement.

Introduced by Representative Mike Collins (R-Ga.), the Laken Riley Act previously passed the House in a bipartisan vote during the last Congress but did not advance further. With this renewed support, the bill will now proceed to the Senate for consideration.

In November 2024, illegal immigrant Jose Ibarra was found guilty on all counts of killing Riley.

He was found guilty on ten charges, including murder, kidnapping, and aggravated assault. The decision was made just 19 minutes after closing arguments.

Prosecutor Sheila Ross said in her closing statement, per Fox News, “Laken Riley herself has given you all the evidence you need alone to find this man guilty of every single count in this indictment. She did fight, and it is a direct result of that fight that gives you all the physical evidence you need to convict him.”

Although Georgia has the death penalty, Ibarra will not receive it. The district attorney said he would instead face life in prison.

“Our utmost duty is to ensure that justice is served and that the victim’s family is an integral part of the deliberation process. We understand that there will be those outside this office who will disagree with our decision and seek to exploit this case for political gain. However, the integrity of our judicial process and the pursuit of justice must always transcend political considerations,” District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez said, according to WRDW.

Ibarra was involved in the Tren de Aragua gang.

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