Undocumented migrants found guilty of theft-related crimes will now be detained after the U.S. Senate passed the Laken Riley Act hours after President Donald Trump took his oath of office Monday.
According to the Guardian, the bill was amended by the Senate and passed 64 to 35 and will require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal migrants who are convicted of crimes like burglary, larceny, theft, or shoplifting. The measure will now go back to the House for approval, where it is expected to pass before reaching Trump’s desk for his signature.
The Act was named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was brutally murdered by a Venezuelan illegal migrant in 2024.
In the bill’s summary, it states any inadmissible illegal migrant would not need to be found guilty to be detained, further allowing states the right to sue the federal government if they do not uphold the law.
“This bill would detain people unlawfully in the United States if they are charged with shoplifting or three other specific misdemeanors,” the bill’s summary reads, “The individual would not need to be found guilty. The bill would also allow states to sue the federal government if it fails to do so.”
Both Republican and Democrat senators who supported the bill, celebrated its passing and called the legislation important in keeping American citizens safe from illegal criminal migrants.
Sen. Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL.) called the legislation “critical” in a post on social media platform X.
“The Senate just passed the Laken Riley Act,” Boyd Britt wrote, “This critical legislation will strengthen public safety and protect our communities. I’m looking forward to President Trump signing this life-saving legislation.”
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Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY.) posted on X that the bill’s passing was owed to Laken Riley’s family after the Biden administration had failed to secure the border and detain illegal migrant criminals.
“The tragic death of Laken Riley was entirely preventable, and it highlights the devastating consequences of the Biden administration’s failure to enforce immigration laws,” Paul wrote, “The Laken Riley Act prioritizes the safety of American citizens by ensuring illegal aliens who commit crimes, like theft, are detained and removed from our country before they can re-offend. We owe it to Laken, her family, and countless families across the nation that have been devastated by the administration’s harmful open-border policies to protect our communities from further harm.”
“A secure border + pro-immigration are fully compatible. I proudly voted AYE on final passage of the Laken Riley Act. And I am looking for legislative solutions to protect our Dreamers,” Fetterman wrote.
However, the bill has been met with pushback from pro-immigrant supporters and advocates, with the Guardian reporting some legal experts have said the bill would infringe on individuals’ right to due process and “undermine federal authority to enforce immigration law.”
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