Laken Riley Act
The Laken Riley Act is the first bill debated on the floor of the 119th Congress in 2025, as H.R. 29, the “Laken Riley Act.” Every Republican voted for this, while while 48 Democrats voted for it also such that it passed the House.
This bill (named after the victim Laken Riley) appears to have been written by liberal staffers, as it does little to stop illegal immigration or even crimes committed by undocumented residents in the United States. Instead, this bill transfers power to the courts, which are overwhelmingly pro-immigration. It also gives state Attorneys General more power than before, but in at least half the states the Attorneys General are liberal and pro-immigration.
Conservatives express two concerns about this weak bill:
| “ | The first is that congressional Democrats will support passage of some version of the bill and then use it to contend that additional legislation isn’t necessary. ...
The second concern is that the bill will be used as a vehicle to provide additional benefits to aliens — legalization of DACA recipients and spouses in so-called “mixed status” marriages, etc. — that certain Republicans may not understand but support anyway, because they sound “reasonable”. There is always a danger when legislation moves too quickly in Washington that members and senators will get caught up in the optics of a proposal and miss (or misread) the fine print — to their detriment and the country’s.[1] |
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Prior Version
The Laken Riley Act was passed by the House in the 118th Congress, but blocked by the Dem-controlled Senate based in part on the Biden Administration's analysis that the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) would be required to take immediate custody of 60,000 illegal aliens based on charges (not only convictions) of crimes against property.[2]
Passing
On Jan 22, 2025, the "House passes Laken Riley Act, teeing up immigration crackdown. The bill allows illegal immigrants suspected of minor offenses to be detained."[3] All Republicans voted for it, joined by 46 Democrats.[4]
Signed
Trump signed the law on Jan 29, 2025. It was the first legislative bill he signed in his 2nd term.[5]
References
- ↑ Laken Riley Bill Passes Key Senate Test Vote. Jan 10, 2025
- ↑ https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000194-51cc-d639-a395-7dfdd8400000
- ↑ House passes Laken Riley Act, teeing up immigration crackdown. "The bill allows illegal immigrants suspected of minor offenses to be detained." ABC News, January 22, 2025
- ↑ Elizabeth Elkind, Congress sends Laken Riley Act to Trump's desk as first bill of GOP's Washington takeover. Fox News, January 22, 2025
- ↑ President Trump Signs the Laken Riley Act into Law. Release Date: January 29, 2025 DHS.