The GOP-led Congress has passed its first major piece of illegal immigrant legislation with some Democrat support as it now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature.
Late Wednesday, lawmakers passed the “Laken Riley Act,” named after a young University of Georgia nursing student who was murdered last year allegedly by a Venezuelan migrant illegally in the country.
“The House of Representatives passed the bill in a 263 to 156 vote on Wednesday, the second time the lower chamber advanced the bill this month,” Fox News reported. “It passed the House 264 to 159 on Jan. 7. All voting Republicans supported the bill, along with 48 Democrats – two more than the most recent vote.”
The Republican-controlled Senate also passed the bill with a bipartisan vote of 64 to 35, but included provisions to deport illegal immigrants who assault a police officer or cause death or serious bodily injury to another person, Fox noted.
The original bill would instruct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to detain illegal immigrants who are accused of theft-related crimes. Additionally, it would permit states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for any harm caused to their citizens as a result of illegal immigration.
For reasons known only to them, most Democrats opposed the bill, arguing that deporting individuals who are accused but not convicted of crimes sets a dangerous precedent. However, supporters of the bill argue that those who are living in the country illegally have already violated U.S. laws.
It is noteworthy that more Democrats supported the bill when it passed the House this month compared to when it was first voted on in 2024, Fox said. This is a significant change from last year when the Senate, which was controlled by Democrats at the time, did not even bring the bill up for a vote.
“Nothing ever happens in this town up here until the American people demand it,” the bill’s leader, Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., told Fox News Digital after being asked about what caused the increased support from Democrats.
“And they have been screaming at the top of their lungs for something to happen to fix the border problem,” he said.
Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, who proposed Sarah’s Law, an amendment lawmakers adopted in the bill, told Fox News Digital, “Nearly a decade ago, 21-year-old Sarah Root’s life was tragically cut short when she was killed by an illegal immigrant who was driving while drunk…Sarah’s Law not only delivered justice for the Root family but also ensures that any illegal immigrant who harms or kills an American citizen is swiftly detained and prosecuted.”
Republican lawmakers are making efforts to fulfill Trump’s commitments to address illegal immigration and enhance border security, especially in light of a series of executive orders from the president on these matters. They are promoting the Laken Riley Act as the first bill intended for Trump’s signature, showcasing their aim to solidify his agenda into lasting law.
Jose Ibarra, who was recently sentenced to life in prison for Laken Riley’s murder, had previously been arrested but was never detained by ICE under the Biden-Harris regime.
To that point, however, the Trump administration intends to challenge so-called “sanctuary city” policies by threatening to bring charges against state and municipal officials who oppose federal immigration enforcement, according to a new Justice Department document.
In addition to state and local authorities, federal prosecutors who choose not to pursue such immigration cases would be promptly sent to the Justice Department for examination and possible prosecution, according to the memo from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove.
The three-page directive demonstrates how the Trump administration has been working for weeks to draft memos that they believe will be more resilient to legal challenges, according to CNN.
“Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests,” the memo reads. “The U.S. Attorney’s Offices and litigating components of the Department of Justice shall investigate incidents involving any such misconduct for potential prosecution.”
